


Second Chances

by VeryNonyIdeas



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Adult Content, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, Female Relationships, MGiT, Mild Blood, Mild Gore, Mild Language, Modern Girl in Thedas, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Female Character, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Slow Burn, The main character is so very very gay for ladies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-09-25 17:29:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17125661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VeryNonyIdeas/pseuds/VeryNonyIdeas
Summary: She's always been the main character; the hero who saved the day. Only this time, she's not.Who knew being a companion to the Herald of Andraste was going to be so much work?





	1. Chapter 1

CLANG!

“WAaaah?!”

My scream reverberated off the walls. The piercing echoes left me curled up in the fetal position, groaning in pain. It felt like a bunch of tiny knives were stabbing the inside of my head. Which is always a pleasant feeling…

Not.

There was never a need to be conscious during this kind of migraine and I fully intended to murder whoever woke me the fuck up with whatever fuckery they just did. 

“Ah, fuckin’ hell,” I growled while doing a sort of squint/glare at my surroundings. “What? This isn’t my room.” The chill from the cold stone beneath me was another unpleasant surprise. “And why the hell am I on the floor?”

Now, I knew that I could be a bit slow some mornings, but I could have sworn that when last I checked, I was in a bed.

**_Oh god. I don’t know where I am… I don’t know how I got here… Shit. Was I kidnapped? Am I in some creep’s basement? AH! What if they intend to do some fucked up human centipede shit?!_ **

“Well fuck that! I’m out of here!”

I scrambled to my feet and stumbled forward. My head immediately making it known that it was not pleased to no longer be laying down. Everything spun as I collided with rusted metal bars. “Ugh, my head. Wait, what the hell?” I pulled on the bars, but they held firm.

**_Someone locked me in a cage?!_ **

“No, no no no” panic bubbled within me as I searched for a door. I had to get out of here. Stumbling along as the throbbing of my temples made it increasingly hard to focus, I came to the end of my cell. No door. I groaned and checked the other side. It seemed that in my infinite wisdom I hadn’t bothered to check the end closest to where I began. “Ugh, how did I miss this?” I grabbed the door and pulled. Locked. Of course, it was locked. I shook it, kicked it, but it still refused to budge.

“Fuck.”

My hands felt like they were burning. “Shit, did I cut myself?” Bits of rust stuck to my palms. Metal always irritated my skin, and although I’d already had a tetanus shot within the past few years, there was no need to push my luck. There was nothing to wash my hands with, so I just rubbed them on my pants. It wasn’t ideal, but it would have to do for now.

**_This is absolute bullshit._ **

My head had yet to stop throbbing and stressing out was only making it worse. Looking around, I took stock of what was in my cell. Maybe there was something I could use to escape? The walls, that weren’t just rusted bars, were stone. As was the floor. And the ceiling. There was no furniture in the cell either. No sink. Not even a simple bed or cot. And…

**_Oh god, is there no toilet in here? Wait. Is there just a bucket? ...Ew._ **

I was not looking forward to investigating that bucket in the future. My feet crunched on something as I backed away from it. There were bits of what looked like grass on the floor around me. I knelt down to check, and nope, that was hay. Not grass.

**_Who the hell leaves hay on the ground? Oh right, psycho killers._ **

There was also a scratchy ass blanket on the floor, which was what I presume I had been lying under when I woke up. It was also quite dark in my little corner, so there was no way to tell what color it was. Not that I really wanted to know. I’m sure it went with the “Murder Scene” décor that my captor had going on here.

I went to rub my eyes in frustration but remembered that my hands were gross. I ended up having to use the inside of my hoodie instead. It was likely the cleanest part of my clothes anyway. “Wait, where are my glasses?” It was so dark in my cell, and I was so out of it, that I hadn’t noticed that my glasses were not on my face. I felt around on the top of my head and checked my shirt. Nope, not there. “Damn it, where are they?” I checked the pockets of my hoodie, they were empty, and then the blanket. Still nothing.

“No wonder my head is killing me.”

Normally changing prescriptions would give me a headache but going long periods without my glasses could do just the same. I usually wore them all the time, so it would make sense that they would be somewhere nearby.

**_Maybe I put them down somewhere before going to sleep?_ **

Anyone who’s had glasses, and needed them to see properly, knows the frustration of having to find your glasses when they are one, not on your face, and two, somewhere that you don’t remember putting them.

“Come on, glasses. Where the hell are you?”

The sound of water dripping in the distance echoed around me and the chill in the air soaked right through my clothes. I shivered and flexed my fingers, trying to keep the blood flowing in my hands, “Of course I’d get stuck in some nasty, cold, dank ass cell” 

While searching along the ground I would occasionally brush my fingers against something wet.

“Ew. I don’t want to know,” I grumbled. Unable to locate my glasses, I resigned myself to being without them for now.

“Damn it.”

I wiped off my hands on the back of my jeans. My hands still felt gross, but it was better than nothing. And that’s when I noticed something even more distressing.

“Oh no.”

I patted my back pockets, “No,” then the front pockets. “You have got to be kidding me!”

My wallet was gone. So was my phone. Hell, even my nail clippers and tweezers were gone. Everything that was in my pockets had gone god knows where.

“FUCK!” I whined. After everything that had happened, this turn of events was just adding insult to injury. I leaned against the stone wall and slid to the floor. “This can’t be happening.”

I sat there for a while, in denial of my situation. The constant drip of water was really getting to be annoying. Drip. Drip. Drip. That constant sound exacerbated the throbbing of my headache. The cold would normally be welcome since it usually helped my headaches, but there could always be too much of a good thing. To keep warm, I zipped up my hoodie, and even put up the hood, but it's not enough. That sad excuse for a blanket would have to do, even if it _was_ nasty. I gritted my teeth and wrapped it around my shoulders.

“Geeze. Would it kill them to turn on the heat?”

Still shivering, I pulled my knees up to my chest, so I could bundle them up in the blanket. Realizing that my ass was going to freeze to the floor at this rate, I tucked part of the blanket beneath me as well. It helped, but the blanket could only do so much. If anything, it felt like it was getting colder. I let out an experimental breath and watched as it turned into a puff of fog.

“Lovely. I’m stuck in some god forsaken murder basement, without my glasses, my phone, or anything pointy to defend myself with. Oh, and I’m probably going to freeze to death because YOU DON’T HAVE PROPER CLIMATE CONTROL!” My words echoed in the darkness. 

There was no reply. Only the constant dripping in the distance. I closed my eyes and rested my head back against the stone wall. I had nothing to alleviate my now throbbing headache. Alone with my thoughts, which was rarely a good place for me, my anxiety decided that now was a perfect time to replay all the possible horrors that awaited me while I sat in the dark. I curled further into myself. Tears fell freely as I surrendered to my despair.

“Someone? Anyone? Please… help me?”

Drip.

The echo was my only answer.

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

I cried for quite a while. For how long? Who knows. It was not like there was a way to keep time without my phone or a watch. At some point, exhaustion won out. I passed out with my face buried in my knees, and my hood pulled tight to keep in the heat.

Someone had dropped off a plate of what barely passed for food while I was sleeping. It was mostly moldy bread and some watery gray gruel with lumps. There was also a cup of water.

“Oh _lovely_ , breakfast.” I deadpanned.

The “meal” tasted disgusting, which was unsurprising given the circumstances, and there were crunchy bits in the gruel that might have been flakes of bone. It’s not like I had any other options, and since I was unsure when I would be getting food again there was little I could do but choke it down.

It was also quite possible that something else had been nibbling on it while I was sleeping.

**_Not going to think about that. Nope._ **

And that poor excuse for water? Good lord. It was so foul tasting that I gagged when I tried to drink it. Now the taste was on my tongue.

**_Gross. I would rather suck on my shirt than try to drink that again._ **

“The first thing I’m doing when I get out of here is get the biggest bottle of water I can find,” I vowed as I pushed the cup of water as far away from me as possible.

Having slept off my headache, I was better able to focus on what was around me. I was indeed in some sort of cell. There were bits of hay around the edges, probably to keep it clean, but it was still nasty since the hay itself had not been changed in god knows how long. And there was still that bucket in the corner of my cell.

I wanted to cry.

“Nope. I’m not that desperate yet.” I knew my bladder would eventually force the issue, but the discomfort had yet to outweigh my disgust.

**_I need to get out of here._ **

I grabbed the bars and made another feeble attempt at getting someone’s attention, “Hello? Is anyone out there? I think that there has been a mix-up of some sort.”

I strained to hear any approaching footsteps, or even the clearing of a throat. Anything, but the soft sounds of scurrying creatures, or that constant dripping.

Nothing.

“Great. Just great,” I huffed and returned to my spot against the wall. “At least turn on the heat, for fucks sake!”

I was not a happy camper, obviously. The dripping sound was really getting on my nerves, and I had yet to have a single visitor to my cell. Well, at least, not while I was awake. I didn’t know if this was some sort of prank, legit kidnapping, or an elaborate nightmare at this point.

**_I want a proper meal, something to drink that doesn’t taste like someone collected sweat in a cup, and a hot shower._ **

As time passed, I got the feeling that I would be receiving none of those things. The next few hours were a blur of hunger, darkness, discomfort, and cold. Oh, and the ever-constant dripping.

“Can someone do something about that _god damn_ dripping!? It’s fucking driving me crazy down here!” My demands were met with no reply. Not that I expected one, but I felt a little better now that I had voiced my ire.

I did end up having to use that bucket.

“Damn it,” I had tried so hard, but in the end, I was in desperate need of it. It was gross, but I got it over with as quickly as I could. Afterwards, I ended up moving the bucket far away from where I was and now I had a missing strip of shirt.

**_This is the worst experience of my life._ **

I bit back a sob and decided to block everything out by sleeping away most of the day. Or night? Time was meaningless at this point. It was just me, my poor little cocoon of warmth, and my shredding sanity.

Drip. Silence. Another drip. Silence. Drip. More fucking silence.

The endless dripping. I would not even risk putting my fingers in my ears. I had no idea what I touched on that disgusting floor, not to mention the bucket experience, so I just kept the hood pulled in hopes of muffling the sounds. It helped… sort of.

**_That is probably their plan. Drive me mad, then come and collect me for their twisted experiments. Or maybe kill me outright. Put down the girl driven mad by dripping water in the dark. Heh, truly diabolical._ **

I dreamt of a dozen different ways that I could escape. In one dream, I overpowered my captors, escaped back to civilization, and rented a bulldozer so that I could return and smash this dripping dungeon to bits.

**_Oh yes, that one’s definitely my absolute favorite._ **

I half heard the jangle of keys, the creak of leather, and the clang of metal against metal. Of course, my mind was now conjuring new sounds to go with that of dripping water. I must have gone completely mad now. No one came down here. I would always be alone. No one would ever find my body. I would be left to rot away in this cell and I would never know why.

I startled awake as a pair of hands grabbed me, plunging me right into full panic mode.

**_OH GOD! IT’S MURDER TIME?! NOOOOOOOO!!!_ **

“AH! NO! Nonononono!!!” Panic iced through me as I tried to wretch myself free.

“Silence!” My captor growled in my ear as they pulled me tight against their body. Their breath was rank, and I was overwhelmed by their musky, sweaty smelling body odor. There was a clang of armor as they readjusted their grip on me. It did not feel like full armor against my back, but there were still hard bits that jammed into my side. Wait, if it was a guy that was at my back...then…

**_Oh god… please let that be armor poking me in the back. Oh please, oh please, oh please…_ **

If some guy was going to start some shit with me, then there was no way in hell I was going to make this easy for him. I kicked at his knees with the heels of my foot, hoping to break his hold. He had armor protecting him and my thrashing only wasted what little energy I had. He dragged me from my cell and into the center of the room.

“Let me go, you bastard!”

“Having trouble holding on to one tiny prisoner?” Another man, with an equally low and rumbling timbre, asked.

“Fuck - _Urk_ —”

“Shut up.” His arm had looped around my neck, choking me, “I got this.”

Another pair of hands grabbed my arms and squeezing them tightly in their grasp. Cuffs were slapped onto my wrists, bruising them down to the bone. I barely noticed the pain as darkness encroached my vision. Still, the arm at my throat squeezed.

“You might want to let up, or you’ll have to explain why the prisoner is now a corpse. And it sure would be a shame if we didn’t have something to play with later.” He brushed my hair from my face and trailed a finger down my jaw, “But hey, do what you want. It’s not my ass on the line.”

“Tch. Fine.”

I gasped and choked as the pressure on my throat was released. I desperately did not want to pass out right now. Not with these men overseeing my wellbeing.

**_Oh, you’re both going to pay for that. But especially you, Mr. Bad Touch. I’m going to make sure I remember you, fucker._ **

Mr. Bad Touch wore a mix of leather and metal armor. Black hair stuck to his greasy forehead in sweaty strands, and what few had escaped his helmet only went to his jaw. He had stubble from at least a couple of days. The man was a bit lanky, and a good foot taller than myself. He looked like he might be in early 20’s. Tan skin? Maybe, or maybe he was just dirty. He noticed that I was staring at him and leered.

“Oh? You liked that, eh?”

I balked.

There was no way in hell that I was going to let him think that he could get frisky with me. He grabbed my hands and tried to pull them free. He squeezed, painfully crushing my fingers. I cried out and he grinned.

“Stop struggling.”

“Fuck you!” I thrashed even harder, ignoring the bite of the cuffs. I attempted to bash my head into the nose of the man holding me from behind. He seemed to have expected that and squeezed hard, knocking the wind out of me. The sound of a blade sliding over metal was shape, and suddenly the tip was pointed at my face.

I froze.

**_WHAT THE FUCK?! WHO THE FUCK CARRIES REAL SWORDS?!?!?!_ **

“I said STOP,” Mr. Bad Touch’s blade did not even quiver, “Or I will promise you that this will be far worse for you.” The look in his eyes made his intentions crystal clear.

I gulped.

**_He WANTS me to give him an excuse to get rough with me._ **

Another pair of what had to be soldiers appeared. They were dragging someone else between them, and practically dropped them against my left side. This other person also had their hands cuffed. Their head was down, and they appeared limp in the soldier’s arms. Their hair obscured their face, so I could not get a better look at them. The soldiers attached a chain to the unconscious person’s cuffs and secured them to the floor.

Unfortunately for me, I got to enjoy more of my captors’ special hospitality.

Knees? Meet hard ass stone.

“Ow! What the fuck is wrong with you?! You—” I shut my mouth and jerked away from the blade that was back in my face.

“Shut. Up,” Mr. Bad Touch snarled.

I held up my cuffed hands in surrender. No more talking from me.

**_Shit. This guy has a short fuse. I don’t ever want to be left along with him._ **

They attached the chains to my cuffs, securing me to the floor as well.

I looked around and realized that there were now 5 swords pointed at me, and my unconscious companion. They were all dressed in practically the same armor. I think one of them was a woman, but I couldn’t be sure. No glasses, so for now I guess they were our blurry guards with angry pointy bits. Including Mr. Bad Touch.

I sighed as I resigned myself to my newest torment.

**_Fucking great. I’ve been kidnapped by murderous LARPers. Oh, and at least one lecherous bastard who is just BEGGING to lose his manly bits._ **

They just stood guard with their weapons pointed. My knees ached. My throat ached. My wrists burned. Sleeping beauty remained blissfully unconscious. And Mr. Bad Touch was still glaring at me. He had taken up the spot right in front of me, and he was the least blurry of the bunch because of it. I returned his glare and made sure that my distaste for him was clearly readable on my face. If I got out of here, then I was going to make sure I gave a detailed report of his looks to the police.

**_That’s right, fucker. I’m taking you down._ **

The guy next to him might have been the one that had held me in a chokehold. Though, there was no way to be sure since my focus had been on Mr. Bad Touch the entire time. Even so, I was not going to let any of these douche canoes off the hook.

**_These LARPers are taking this waaaaaay too seriously. Whoever set this up is getting their ass kicked, though. I did not sign up for some fantasy “Escape the Room” event. And I’m pretty sure my wrists are going to be rubbed raw soon. I hate this._ **

The lump next to me groaned and began to stir.

**_About fucking time._ **

Before I could ask any questions of my fellow prisoner, my attention snapped to approaching footsteps. Two dark figures stomped towards us. As the pair reached the ring of soldiers, one stayed back and waited in the shadows. The soldiers sheathed their swords and stepped back, standing at attention. The way they reacted made it clear that this was the person in charge of this whole LARPing setup.

**_FINALLY! Now I can speak to a manager._ **

“Um, hi. I don’t know what’s going on, but I definitely did NOT sign up for this. I’m not sure if this was some prank set up by one of my friends, or some jackass neighbor, but it’s clear that this has got to be some sort of mistake. So, could you just let me go and…” Anything else I was about to say died on my lips as the figure got up in my face and grabbed my collar, shaking me.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t just kill you right now? Both of you!” The snarl was perfect. As were the cheekbones. Even the angry scar sliced into the cheek of the left side of their face was perfect. Strands of short black hair stuck to the sweat dripping from their hairline. Only a small section of it grew long enough to create the single black braid headband that was styled across the top of their head. It was the lone feminine touch to such a formidable figure. “The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead. Except the two of you.”

 **_Oh my god, that accent is far sexier in person. Wait, this can’t be real. She can’t really be here. This must be cosplay._ ** **_Exceptionally_ ** **_well-done cosplay._ **

Then there was a flash of green light from beside me. We both looked to see the other prisoner stare at their left hand. A gash in their palm glowed eerily.

**_Oh FUCK no._ **

She suddenly released me and I landed hard on my ass, "Ow, damn it."

My companion’s wrist was grabbed and shaken in front of both of our faces. It crackled with green light once more.

“Explain _this!_ ” The accusation hung in the air as my companion stared at their hand in shock.

**_Are you fucking KIDDING me?!_ **

I looked between the crackling green light and what could only be the glaring face of Cassandra Pentaghast. Seeker of Truth. Right Hand of the Divine. The one character that made so many women weak in the knees and prayed for a chance to romance such a perfect creature. I would probably be drooling over her attractive figure if I wasn’t on the verge of freaking out.

**_Welp, I'm screwed. I was probably drugged and now I'm stuck in some fever dream. No one is coming to save me, and I'm probably going to be found curled up in a ball, gibbering nonsense. Or I'll be dead. Great. Couldn't I have dreamt about being home, in bed, instead of a fucked-up fantasy world? Ugh. This is what I get for playing too many video games._ **

Looking at my companion for the first time, REALLY looking, I realized that I missed a few things. Pointed ears peak out of their long hair, and there were markings on their feminine looking face. Which meant that they had to be one of elves from the Lavellan clan. I tried to catch my companions gaze in hopes that they would speak up, but this seemed to be too much to ask. Clearly, they had swallowed their tongue or something. Having to deal with your hand starting to glow with eerie light tends to do that to you.

I winced at Cassandra’s frustrated growl.

**_Oh, for fucks sake. FINE._ **

“I…c-can’t,” I said truthfully. I couldn’t tell her what that mark was. If I was indeed where I thought I was, then I DEFINITELY couldn’t let them know what I knew. They’d just assume that I was in league with Coryphaeus. Or Solas could kill me for knowing too much. Or I could throw off the events of their timeline. There were so many things that could go wrong. And Lavellan was STILL staring at their damn hand like an idiot.

**_Seriously?! Time and place, you know? Snap out of it! If I can kinda function while freaking out, so can you!_ **

“What do you mean, you can’t?”

I blanched as Cassandra stayed focused on me, “I d-don’t know what that is or how it got there.” I gestured to Lavellan’s hand.

“You’re lying!” Cassandra practically growled in my face. She yanked my hook back from my head and it caught on my ears. I grimaced at the abuse, but I was unable to rub at them while in chains.

 **_Damn it! She almost ripped my friggin’ ears off_**.

“I don’t know what this is, either,” Lavellan finally added. Their voice was soft, feminine, and melodious with youth. I raised my brow at this LADY Lavellan.

**_Finally deciding to join the conversation, eh? Good. Cuz I suck at lying. And I know that the other shadow HAS to be Leliana. She’ll DEFINITELY know when I’m lying. Balls._ **

Cassandra snarled in frustration, pulling back a fist.

Leliana grabbed her arm, halting what would have been a very painful strike, “We need them, Cassandra.”

Cassandra yanked her arm out of Leliana’s grasp. Leliana only smiled. It seemed that she had been expecting that reaction. She was cool in comparison to Cassandra’s hot anger.

**_Yikes. They are way scarier in person._ **

The creaking and clanking of Cassandra’s armor put me on edge. She circled behind me like a predator. I could still feel her eyes on me, making me more nervous with her every step.

**_I get the feeling that’s her intention._ **

“I don’t understand,” Lavellan shook her head, as if that might help her remember what happened.

I knew where this was going. Additional questions that would leave my legs aching more than they already were. I did not want this to drag out for longer than necessary, so I cut to the chase, “So… what happens now?”

Predictably, Leliana asked us both what we remembered, how this began, blah, blah. Then I sort of checked out from the rest of the conversation. I had heard it enough times. Instead, I was watching Leliana. I could practically hear her mind calculating from where I sat. She had stepped closer and I could finally see her a bit clearer.

My eyebrows rose.

**_Shit. Don’t blush. Don’t fucking blush. Damn it… I’m blushing._ **

Leliana was gorgeous. Older, yes, but damn. She had aged like a fine wine. She was, what? In her mid thirties? Late thirties? Not that it mattered. Leliana still looked amazing. A few locks of red hair framed the pale face peeking out from the shadows of her ever-present cowl. However, there was no smile in her gaze. Only the sharpness of a keen mind. The blue of her eyes was cold. Calculating. The game had done its best to render her, but it was nothing compared to reality. Or maybe it was due to the fuzziness of my vision.

“Hmm, it was likely _she_ has my glasses and wallet on her,” I mumbled to myself. Leliana caught my eyes and smirked. I had forgotten how sharp her hearing could be.

**_Wait… if she has my wallet then… oh crap. Leliana knows who I am. Sister Nightingale. Left hand of the Divine. Deadly bard. Spymaster. KNOWS WHO I AM!_ **

I gulped.

**_I am so fucked._ **

She broke eye contact with me and went on to speak with Cassandra. I just blinked in shock and terror as I tried to ignore the shiver that shot along my spine. I stared down at the now _very_ interesting floor.

**_Fuck. One wrong step, and I’m done for. ARGH! Why must I be shit at lying?!_ **

At this point, it looked like we’d both be going to the forward camp. We got the full “prisoner” treatment; dragged to our feet, cuffs replaced with rope, and led up and out of the dungeons beneath the Chantry. I would have preferred to have endured less rope burn, but I’d have to take what I could get. Besides, metal cuffs out in the cold would’ve been worse.

As we walked towards the exit of the Chantry, I made the mistake of looking around. It was always much darker in the Chantry, since it didn’t have any windows in the main hall. The flickering candlelight cast ominous shadows, and accentuated the ire found in many of the faces of those around us. Chantry sisters didn’t look at us. They scurried across our path, frantically praying to the Maker.

The Guards glared. Their hatred towards us, for what they believed had happened, was almost palpable. As Cassandra spoke with Lavellan, I opted to stare at the floor, pointedly not meeting the eyes of anyone watching us. It was too much. Out of fear, I tried to keep as close to Lavellan as I could. There was no telling what someone would do to me if they managed to slip me away from Cassandra’s watchful eyes.

**_Fucking hell. I’m up shit creek without a paddle over here._ **

A small puddle of light appeared by Lavellan’s feet, drawing my attention. Tiny sparks. They fell from her hand, fading before they reached the ground. Small flickers of Fade magic that floated like ghostly fireflies. The doors opened before us, and the faint lights were lost in the glare of the snow-covered outdoors.

**_Well, at least I don’t have the Anchor. That would suck._ **

Walking into the light, I raised my hands to shield my eyes from the glare. I knew what was about to happen, and yet I still risked a chance to look at the Breach above. Large and petrifying, just as I had imagined it would be. Chunks of the mountain floated up into the green light. Beyond the roiling clouds, and into the Fade. The edges shimmered for a moment, dazzling my eyes.

**_Here it comes._ **

The crashing boom was louder than I expected. Energy shot outward, staggering us all. I cringed as my ears popped from the pressure of the blast. My headache, which had been starting to fade, came roaring back with a vengeance.

**_Oh, come on! Give me a break here._ **

My attention shot to Lavellan as she cried out in pain. Wincing from the noise, I almost missed how Fade energy burst from the mark. It was blinding. Light danced along her spasming hand, crawling up her forearm. I was too close when the energy from mark overwhelmed her. She fell against me, but with my hands bound I couldn’t keep her from hitting the ground.

“Shit! Are you okay?!”

A crackling noise came from where Lavellan leaned against my leg. Growing louder.

**_What in the world?_ **

Energy from the mark arced between us, slamming into my chest.

“AH!”                                                                                                 

Fade magic, green and pulsing, coiled around my body. It felt like my skin was covered in biting ants, crawling all over and under my skin. I screamed as the feeling intensified. Shuddering, I lost my footing and stumbled back, colliding with the wall of the Chantry. Green. Everything was green. My world had narrowed down to green and pain.

I lost myself.

My chest burned. Ears rang. Muscles spasmed. Someone whimpered. Whether it was me or Lavellan, I couldn’t be sure. A hand rested on my shoulder, causing my eyes to snap open.

I didn’t remember closing them.

“Are you alright?”

“What the-?” Cassandra squeezed my shoulder, but it felt distant. I had slid down the wall of the Chantry and sat on the cold ground, legs covered in wet muck. My tongue felt heavy in my mouth. Unable to form the questions I wanted to ask. While the pain had faded, the feeling of bitter cold remained.

“Each time the Breach expands, the mark spreads… and it is killing her.” She points to Lavellan. “With how you react to each time the mark spreads, I do not know if you will share in her fate.”

“Well that’s,” I coughed and winced at the ache in my chest, “comforting.”

_**Awesome. Of course, something shitty like this WOULD have to happen. Talk about adding insult to injury.** _

Lavellan stepped up beside Cassandra, flexing the fingers of her marked hand, “Is there anything that can be done?”

“Your mark may be the key to stopping this, but there isn’t much time.”

“If I can help, I will.”

I looked back and watched as the tear enlarged just a bit more, eating away at the sky. Everything was so different from the game, but still largely the same. The reaction that the mark had on me was definitely something to be concerned about. Not to mention how things might change just from my being here. Still, staying with the group was my only chance at staying alive long enough to find a way back home. If that was even possible.

**_Oh hell, I gotta stop thinking and just get on with it. I can’t do anything if I get sidelined._ **

“I’ll help too!” I managed to rasp out. “There isn’t much that I _can_ do, but I’ll do whatever I’m able,” I added with a shrug.

Cassandra gave me a measuring look, and I blushed at the intensity of the eye contact. It was hard to keep her gaze, but I had to show her that I was willing to do what needed to be done. Even if that meant getting into a staring contest with someone who scared the ever-living daylights out of me.

**_Don’t leave me behind. I CAN help. PLEASE. Please, please, please!_ **

The scrutiny of her gaze was getting to be too much. I was just about to start begging when she nodded: “then follow me.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun duuuuuuun! Oh dear, whatever could be happening to our sarcastic little friend? Looks like she spoke too soon, eh?
> 
> I told you it was longer. :)


	3. Chapter 3

“I am so not dressed for this.”

My grumbling was ignored as we trudged through the snow. It was easily up past our ankles, and deeper when you went off the beaten path. Snow had melted into my sneakers, leaving my feet both soaked and frozen. The sweatshirt I wore barely kept the cold at bay, and I desperately wished my t-shirt was thicker.

**_Couldn’t they have offered me a jacket or something??? Hell, a pair of gloves would have helped._ **

I shivered while trying desperately to keep the blood flowing into my fingertips. Focusing on clenching and unclenching my fingers was better than meeting the eyes of those around us. The denizens of Haven glowered at us as Cassandra lectured us on how they “ _need our guilt.”_ She spoke of how this was a chance for peace, and now everyone was dead.

**_Way to stay positive, Cassandra._ **

As we approached the bridge leading out of Haven, I noticed something that wasn’t shown in the game. Bodies. So many bodies were wrapped and stacked into piles along the edges of the walkway and along the path leading to the bridge. And many were far too small to be adults.

**_Shit…I never saw any kids in Haven when playing the game. I’m not sure I want to know how many young lives were cut short._ **

As we continued over the bridge, I could see the gates guarding the edge of town. Soldiers gathered weaponry and tried to keep those of Haven guarded from the demons pouring from the sky. Over one side of the bridge, you could see the Breach high up beyond the mountain tops. Meteors trailing green light dropped down into the paths along the mountain. Who knew how many of those paths were even passible now.

Over the opposite side was the frozen lake, and Haven beyond that. The snowy forest surrounded the outer edges of the village. It seemed to cover more ground than it did in the game. There were more buildings along the edges, but I couldn’t tell what kind they were from this distance.

**_Ugh, I wish I had my glasses._ **

I was too lost in my thoughts to notice that Cassandra had stopped in front of us. “Oof!” I grunted as I walked into the back of her. Before I could even mutter an apology, she whipped around and pulled out a dagger.

“What the?!” I jumped back.

**_SHIT! She’s gunna stab me for bumping into her?!_ **

“Uh,” Lavellan looked at the dagger questioningly.

“There will be a trial,” she grabbed my hands, slicing through the rope binding them, “I can promise no more.”

The ropes fell to the ground, and she moved to Lavellan next.

“Geeze. A little warning next time woulda’ been nice,” I rubbed the feeling back into my wrists.

“Come. It is not far.”

I tuned out again as I followed along, tucking my hands into my sleeves. It’s always “the Breach” this, and “the Breach” that, especially in the beginning, so it didn’t matter if I listened in. I’ve heard this all hundreds of times. How boring.

**_I just gotta keep focued. All I need to do is make it through all this without fucking everything up too much and keep Lavellan from coming to irreparable harm._ **

I remembered what could happen if Lavellan ended up dying. The dark future where red lyrium was everywhere, the Breach ripped the sky apart, and demons rampaged across all of Thedas.

**_I can’t let that happen._ **

The sound of running feet pulled me from my musings and I was forced to jump to the side as some panicked men ran past us. One predictably called out, “Maker, it’s the end of the world!”

 “Ugh, such a drama queen,” I side-eyed the whining man as we continued up the hill.

Things were going to get dangerous up ahead, so I hung back a bit, trailing just behind Cassandra and Lavellan. Interestingly enough, being this close to the Breach meant that I could get an unobstructed view as we walked. Bright greens rippled like storm-filled clouds along where the Breach had torn through the sky. Lightning danced through the clouds. Large boulders, and a few trees, floated up from beneath it. There was no telling how many had already floated up through the Breach and into the Fade.

**_It really was kinda beautiful, if a little scary. You know, it was a little weird. Damn, I wish I had my glasses so that I could see it better. If you stared long enough at it, you could almost make out—_ **

The Breach let forth another ear-piercing blast and Lavellan cried out in pain. I reached out to catch her but flinched at the memory of her last flair up. I twitched at the phantom sensation of the marks energy overwhelming me.

Lavellan crumpled to the ground, and Cassandra rushed to help her up. And there was me, just standing there. Useless.

**_Fuck. I want to help, but I’m afraid that her mark will hurt me again. Damn it, this doesn’t make any sense. Why would the mark react to me like that?_ **

With Cassandras help, Lavellan managed to stand, even if she remained a bit hunched over. She cradled her hand with a wince. I could only imagine how painful that mark really was for her. It looked deeper than it was earlier. Not good.

“The pulses are coming faster now. The larger the Breach grows, the more rifts appear, the more demons we face,” Cassandra made sure that Lavellan was steady before releasing her arm.

“How _did_ I survive the blast?”

**_Here we go…_ **

“They say you…stepped out of a rift, then fell unconscious. This one,” she gestured towards me, “came stumbling out after you, and a green light struck her from behind. Then she too fell unconscious. We assumed that it was caused by the rift, but…”

**_That’s…new._ **

Cassandra stared at me as if my face would give her answers. Honestly, the only thing on my face was probably grime, frost, and grossness from my runny nose. I sniffled at her and wiped my nose on my sleeve. Not the most ladylike thing I could do, but whatever.

Her trademark disgusted noise signaled that maybe I made a bit more of a mess than I intended. I wiped my face again, and she just rolled her eyes as she continued.

**_What? It’s friggin cold, and I don’t have any tissues, so sue me._ **

“They say a woman was in the rift behind you. No one knows who she was. Everything farther in the valley was laid waste, including the Temple of Sacred Ashes,” turning from us to look towards the Breach, she continued, “I suppose you’ll see soon enough.”

I look up ahead. We were almost at the bridge at this point, and I didn’t want anything to do with it when it collapses.

**_I am not built for this shit._ **

“We should be careful when we get to the bridge. The stuff dropping from the Breach could easily strike it,” I tried to sound more confident than I felt. Fighting echoed in the distance, and I knew that more battles lay ahead. I prayed that my comment was enough to make Cassandra go around the bridge.

**_Come on, don’t be stubborn._ **

“Nonsense. We’ll be fine,” was her gruff reply.

**_Damn it._ **

“This suuuuuuuck,” I whined, dragging my feet as we got closer to the bridge. Maybe, if I only inched closer to the middle of the bridge, it would collapse before we were on it. I tried doing this previously in the game. It didn’t work, but one can hope.

**_Just inch slowly, and the event will trigger without my getting hurt. I got this._ **

Lavellan tugged at my sleeve, “What are you doing?”

“Huh? Oh, I’m just heading towards the inevitable. And my knees are not going to like it.”

“Uh, okay?” Based on Lavellan’s puzzled expression, and Cassandra looking at me like I had lost my mind, I had probably lost whatever credibility I might have had with them.

“Ugh,” Cassandra brushed by me and made her way to cross the bridge, “this is ridiculous. We do not have time for such nonsense.”

I grabbed Lavellan by the shoulders and tried to stop her from following Cassandra, “Brace yourselves!”

Cassandra looked up just as a fade meteor came careening towards the bridge. The soldiers that stood right in its path would never see what hit them.

The fade meteor slammed into the bridge, instantly killing the soldiers that did not jump out of the way. The path crumbled around us and we tumbled to the frozen river below.

“SHIT!” I clung to Lavellan as we fell.

Cassandra bounced off a crate, narrowly missing being crushed by the falling stones. The soldiers that fell with us, however, were not so lucky.

I coughed at the dust that rose from the crumbled bridge. My body ached from the fall, but I had expected more damage. Thankfully, I was wrong. A groan from beneath me highlighted the reason for my cushy landing.

“Ow,” Lavellan groaned. A small cut on her forehead oozed blood, and it trailed into her hair.

Oops. So much for trying to make sure that she didn’t get hurt.

“Are you okay?” I asked her as I checked the wound. It was shallow, but head wounds always bled a lot. Probably got grazed by one of the stones that fell with us. I wiped at it with clean side of my sleeve.

Damn, this thing REALLY needs to be washed. Thank goodness I usually wear black. No blood stains for me.

“I will be when you’re no longer crushing me.”

I blushed when I realized that I was still sitting on top of her, “Shit. Sorry.” I quickly scrambled to my feet and helped her up.

Cassandra walked up to us, dirty, but showing no signs of injury. “Is everyone alright?”

Before we could answer, the Breach spat out another meteor. It whistled through the air before hitting the frozen river a short distance away from us. A few small chunks of ice were blown out of the river. Having not broken through into the frigid water below, and the meteor began to melt into a pool of eerie green light.

“What,” a claw burst through, “the _fuck_ is that?!”

A hulking creature used those sharp claws to rake the ice as it pulled itself out of the now bubbling pool of light. From what I remembered of the game, I knew that ancient looking leather wrapped its elongated neck and hung from it in strips to strap it to its misshapen torso. Its skin would look wizened and weather-beaten like a mummified corpse, and yet still look…juicy.

**_Yeah, I’m glad that I’m too far away to see the details. For now, a dangerous blurry blob is enough to deal with._ **

It whipped its head in our direction. “Ah, shit! It sees us!” I squeaked and tried to hide behind Lavellan. The Shade’s one eye socket filled with an eerie light as it made its way towards us.

**_Yeah, HARD PASS._ **

“Stay behind me!” Cassandra drew her sword and charged the Shade.

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” I exclaimed as I backed up from another growing pool of light forming by our feet.

A second Shade crawled out from it as Lavellan scrambled to find a weapon. She grabbed a staff and gave it a twirl. Flame shot from it and she drove the Shade back towards where Cassandra was fighting. However, the second pool of light continued to bubble, and a third Shade lifted itself up and into our reality.

“You have got to be kidding me!” I dashed into the wreckage of boxes and bodies. Hoping that Cassandra or Lavellan could protect me while fighting off Shades was a sure-fire way to an untimely death. No, I needed to carry my own weight in a fight. Over by one of the smashed boxes lay what looked like another staff. It had a weird fan like decoration on the top, but there was no time to be picky. I shrugged, “Works for me.”

Quickly grabbing my new weapon, I turned back to see the Shade gliding towards me. It lunged with the intent of shredding my ass to pieces. In a panic, I closed my eyes and swung.

My strike landed with a wet sounding thud.

Breathing hard, I cracked an eye to see what I did.

**_Oh shit._ **

The Shade’s head had been knocked to the side when I had hit it with my staff, but it didn’t even react. It just stood there. I knew that I barely did any damage to this thing. It would take far more than one hit to take one of these things down. Maybe I stunned it?

The Shade slowly turned back to face me.

**_I think I just pissed it off._ **

It made a gurgling growl and clawed at me. I yelped as its attack caught my staff and caused me to slip on the ice. Perfect timing too, as my fall saved me from getting my face ripped to ribbons. I scrambled away, with a death grip on my staff, and the Shade still hot on my heels.

“Gah! Fuck off! I screamed as I ran by Lavellan and Cassandra. They finished off their Shades just in time to see my dumb ass slipping and sliding all over the ice as I tried to dodge death by skewers. “A little help would be nice, if it’s NOT TOO MUCH TROUBLE!”

I lost my footing again and ended up sprawled out on the ice. In a panic, I rolled over and feebly attempted to guard myself by brandishing my staff. Scooting back with my elbows, I tried to gain purchase against the ice with my feet. Unfortunately for me, the ice was too slippery for the sneakers that I was wearing. The only think I managed to do was tire myself out further…and make awkward squeaky noises with my shoes.

**_God dammit, fucking useless shoes. I should have bought the ones with better tread._ **

The Shade was almost on me, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. It showed no rush to kill me, as if drawing out my death was more appealing to it. The glow of its eye was suddenly intense, and time seemed to slow down as my terror grew. There was nothing I could do to stop it. This was it.

**_Why…am I trying so hard to stay alive?_ **

I did not have the energy for all this. It felt like it was just draining away. Things would be so much easier if I just let go.

**_Maybe if I die, then I will wake up at home?_ **

I could hear someone laughing, but it felt more like the memory of laughter. The sound was wrong, as if whatever was making that noise did not have a human voice. I felt weaker as the laughter grew. My staff clattered on the ice as it slipped from my hands, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. The sound of it dragging its claws along the ice pierced my mind, adding to the otherworldly laughter. It was cruel and self-satisfied.

**_What does it matter? I’m too tired to deal with this._ **

It knew that victory was within its grasp, and now all it had to do was claim my life as its prize.

**_Just be done with it already._ **

The Shade lunged just as a blast of fire engulfed it. It screamed, I screamed, and then all that was left was dust as the Shade crumbled and blew away.

I must have closed my eyes again because as I opened them, I saw a hand in my face.

“Need some help?” Lavellan smiled down at me, shyly.

**_Oh? I’m not dead? Nice._ **

With a weak smile, I eyed her hand. It was her right hand, and left was holding her staff. It wasn’t flairing, so it was most likely safe to touch her. Hopefully. I grasped her hand and let her help me up, “Thanks.”

I wobbled on my feet, and she held onto my elbows. I winced, but no pain came from the mark.

**_I guess it was safe, for now._ **

“Those things are never fun to fight. Are you hurt?”

“Uh…” I was grateful for her help in not dying and with the assistance in getting up, but I lacked the energy to say much of anything else.

Lavellan placed a warm hand on my forehead. It felt so nice that I leaned into her touch and closed my eyes.

**_So warm._ **

I knew that fighting would leave me feeling drained, but I had not expected that battling a Shade would take so much out of me. I felt clammy and on the verge of passing out.

“Shades can drain your energy by just being close to you,” she informed me, “It’s best to finish them off quickly, if you can.”

“Oh, I guess I forgot about that.”

**_What the fuck?! I don’t remember that being in the lore!_ **

Lavellan bent down and grabbed my staff. She looked at it oddly before giving it back to me. I grasped it like a lifeline. Thankfully, it was not burned during the blast. I couldn’t get through all this without a weapon.

“It happens to the best of us,” She added while checking her pockets. Not finding what she was looking for, she turned to me in a huff. “I was sure that I had at least some elfroot that you could have chewed on to help you regain your strength, but I guess they took everything off my person back in the cells.”

I braced myself against my staff and used the respite to catch my breath, “Yeah, same here.”

“Maybe they missed the inner pockets?”

While she grumbled to herself and searched inside her jacket’s hidden pockets, I took this chance to get a good look at Lavellan. She was a few inches shorter than me and moderately thin. Not as thin as the game usually depicts elves as being, but it was hard to gage how thin she was with all the armor she was wearing. She must be pretty strong too, since she had no problem pulling me to my feet earlier. I was by no means light.

Her hair was a rich chestnut brown that hung down to the middle of her back. You could even see a few strands of copper coloring mixed in that glinted in the light. It had a bit of a wave to it as well. I had never seen a Lavellan with such long hair. The game always made it so that you couldn’t have hair longer than your shoulders.

Lavellan also had a slight tan, which was probably from all the time she likely spent in the sun. No freckles, though. If I squinted, I could just make out the faint lines of her vallaslin. It was only slightly darker than her skin. The design was faintly tattooed into her forehead and chin. The lines were elegant and reminded me of vines.

Having given up the search for elfroot in her jacket, Lavellan looked up at me. This gave me a better opportunity to see her tattoo straight on.

**_Wow, those lines are smoothly rendered. The person who did the tattoo had to have had a really steady hand. Lavellan must be extremely disciplined to have stayed still throughout the entire process._ **

She blushed and nervously pushed some of her hair behind one ear as I leaned in further, following the flowing lines with my eyes. Her faint blush made her vallaslin stand out more.

**_I’m pretty sure she’s got the simplified version of the vallaslin of Ghilan’nain._ **

At this point, I was only inches from her face. Lavellan’s deep blue eyes looked everywhere but at mine as her blush deepened. Even her ears had turned red.

**_Wait a minute. I know this face. I spent hours trying to get it just right. It’s my Lavellan! Awww, she’s so cute in person._ **

“Um,” Lavellan shifted nervously, and met my scrutinizing gaze. She was beet red at this point. Only then did I realize that I was _way_ too close.

“Oh, sorry,” I pulled back with a bright red blush of my own, “I didn’t mean to invade your space like that.”

“Ah hah ah, t-that’s fine. Ummm, it’s just…” Her eyes darted around nervously, until they landed on my staff.

“Hmm?”

“Uhhh, do you always go into battle with…a broom?”

“What?!” I pulled my staff closer, squinting at the fan decoration at the top. And sure enough, it was the bristles of a broom.

Lavellan may have covered her smirk, but I could see the amusement in her eyes.

“It’s not funny,” I grumbled as I flicked the bristles.

She snickered, “It’s a little funny.”

“Yeah, well—”

“Drop your weapons. _Now_.” Cassandra came stomping towards us, her sword already ready to take us on should we decide not to heed her warning.

“AH!” I dropped my “staff” like it burned me, and put my hands up in surrender, “Don’t hurt me?”

**_I do NOT need to die over a broom._ **

Lavellan sighed, “Have it your way,” and slowly placed her staff on the ground.

“Wait,” Cassandra sighed, putting her sword away, “I cannot protect you, and I cannot expect you to be defenseless,” she looked back over to use with a small, yet unsure, smile, “I should remember that you agreed to come willingly.”

**_You can’t do this to me. Don’t be all scary, and then give me a smile like that! Ugh, my little gay heart cannot take that smile. It’s too cute._ **

She dug into her belt and hands Lavellan some items, “Take these potions, Maker knows what we will face.”

**_Shit! I need to grab supplies._ **

“You two keep chatting. I’ll be right back,” I added quickly, and attempted to dart away. I noticed Cassandra’s raised brow as I passed her, clearly not impressed. After being drained so badly, it was more like I sort of speed walked/wobbled away, while breathing hard.

“There is no time.”

“I’ll be wicked quick, I swear!” I yelled back over my shoulder.

“Ugh.”

**_It’s like that previous smile never existed. Aw maaaaaaan, I can practically see the “Greatly Disapproves” over her head. Double damn._ **

I ignored them and made my way back over to the rubble and rummaged through what belongings I could find. I ended up grabbing someone’s side bag, a coin purse (with two measly silver coins), and a silver dagger.

**_Score! It never hurts to have a bag._ **

There was also a small elfroot plant by the edge of the bridge. If I chewed up the leaves, I could recoup some of my lost energy.

“Well, it’s better than nothing,” I grabbed a few leaves and popped them into my mouth. They were surprisingly minty, and fast acting. I welcomed the strength that slowly returned to my limbs. Tucking my new things into the side bag, I picked my “battle broom” from where I dropped it.

“I’m going to have to keep an eye out for more elfroot when we’re out on the road,” looping the bag over my head and shoulder, I jogged after Cassandra and Lavellan.

**_Fuck, they move fast. They must have decided to move on ahead without me._ **

They had already made it up the stairs and past the first corpse on the ground. Trudging up the stairs, I noticed the helmet beside the corpse. It must have fell off once the poor bastard hit the ground.

The helmet was comprised of four strips of leather stitched together. Three of the strips made up the top with one larger strip that would wrap around the back of your head, covering your years, and coming to hang down by your jaw on either side. The stitching had fur sticking out of the edges and was lightly fuzzy on the inside. An ornate band of metal held a larger piece of plate armor to the rear of the helmet. This plate was perfect for protecting the back of the head. The band even had an extra bit of metal that dipped down about a half an inch so that it could protect the bridge of the nose.

It was not the most style helmet, but I figured that some protection was better than nothing.

“Mine,” I cheerfully said as I picked it up.

With a return of my energy, I was finally able to catch up. Lavellan seemed pleased that I was moving better, but Cassandra gave me serious side eye. I sighed. She didn’t seem to approve of my looting, or perhaps my lack of athleticism, but I shrugged it off. I did not regret my loot. I had needs, and now some of them had been met. I like collecting things, and I needed a bag for that. And besides, the helmet was decent, and I had a feeling that I might need it in the valley.

**_Ew, this thing needs to be washed._ **

Ignoring how dirty it was, I slipped it onto my head. It caught on my ears oddly and I winced.

“Ow,” I reached up and rubbed my ear, “what the fuck?”

I slipped my fingers along a delicate point.

**_No._ **

I felt the other ear. It was just as pointy.

**_You have GOT to be kidding me._ **

“God damn it,” I groaned.

Lavellan looked over in concern, “Are you alright?”

**_Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just stuck in an elf’s body, in some fantasy video game. That’s not unusual. Nope. Happens all the time._ **

 “Uh, yeah, I…just caught my ears on the helmet is all. I’m fine,” I tried to play things off, but I sucked at lying so I doubted that my excuse was very convincing.

**_Capital F on that fine. On a scale of 1 to Fucked, I’m FINE. Just fucking peachy._ **

I pulled the flaps outwards so that I could slip the helmet on without it catching on my new elf ears. It was a snug fit, and smelled like wet dog, but that was either from the previous owner or from the material itself.

I discretely felt my stomach and arms, trying to discern if my form had become petite like other elves in the game. Everything felt familiar, but I was unsure if it was because I was in my body with some minor changes or if I had somehow hijacked some poor elf. I sighed and felt even more drained than before.

**_I can’t tell. I still feel chubby. Damn it, I need a mirror._ **

My grumpy disposition did not go unnoticed, but before Lavellan could poke at me about it, Cassandra drew her attention by running up ahead.

“We’re getting close to the rift. You can hear the fighting,” she yelled back to us.

“Who’s fighting?” Lavellan asked.

Cassandra turned back to the battle ahead of us, “You’ll see soon enough.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have a set schedule for posting, but I will try to get at least one chapter out every week. ^_^ I hope that you're enjoying things thus far.


	4. Chapter 4

“YAAARGGGHHHH!”

The Shade’s gurgling scream echoed across the battlefield as it was engulfed in the flames spewing from Lavellan’s staff.

Cassandra bellowed a battle cry as she charged another Shade, bashing it with her shield.

Soldiers clashed swords with claws.

And me?

“Gaaaaaah!!! Get away from me!” I ran full tilt around the edge of the battlefield with a Shade hot on my heels. There was no way I wanted it to get close enough to drain me like the last one did.

**_This is BULLSHIT! I’m still recovering from the last Shade!_ **

I tripped over loose rubble and tumbled just below claws that would have taken my head. Rubble dug into my sides as I rolled to a stop. The Shade reared up for another attack.

**_…Fuck._ **

A sword burst from its chest and the Shade crumbled to dust. Cassandra looked down at me in disappointment. With her signature disgusted noise, she reached down to pull me to my feet.

“Uh, thanks.”

Cassandra just nodded and turned back to the battlefield.

“Quickly, before more come through!” yelled a tall, bald elven man in dingy greenish garments. While still brandishing a staff, he grabbed Lavellan’s left wrist and held the mark up to the rift. Green light burst from the mark. As it connected, the energy pulled the edges of the rift together, closing it. I winced from the ear shattering boom of the closing rift.

**_That’ll take some getting used to. Elven ears were pretty damn sensitive._ **

“Thank god the helmet muffled the sound. Even so, damn, that was loud,” I rubbed at the leather covering my ears.

**_No wonder the sound of dripping water was driving me crazy._ **

Lavellan cradled her hand. “What did you do?”

“ _I_ did nothing. The credit is yours,” he said with a nod.

I rolled my eyes at him. Even if I hadn’t recognized his shiny, egg-like head, or his ridiculously large and pointy chin, or his stupid pointed ears, or his ever-present forest hobo outfit, or the lack of shoes on his stupid pretentiously wrapped elven feet, or well, you get the picture. Even without all that, I would have still recognized that voice anywhere.

**_Solas, you little shit._ **

“I closed that thing? How?” Lavellan examined the crackling mark in her hand.

“Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach’s wake,” Solas leaned against his staff and nodded towards Cassandra, “and it seems I was _correct_.”

**_Ugh, gag me._ **

Cassandra sheathed her sword, “Meaning it could also close the Breach itself.”

“Possibly,” Solas turned back to Lavellan. “It seems you hold the key to our salvation.”

Lavellan blushed faintly.

**_Oh, HELL NO!_ **

The last thing I wanted for her was to get caught up in his bullshit, so I stepped up beside her, crossed my arms, and put on my best protective stance. I might not have flashy magic, and I might still be shivering a bit from the cold, but there was no way in hell that I was going to let him worm his way into her heart. Glaring at Solas, I made sure that my disapproval was as clear as I could make it. He merely met my gaze with a quirked eyebrow.

**_Fuck off, egg-head. Don’t even think about it. I’ll totally neuter you, if you do._ **

I pointed two fingers at my eyes, and then at his. It was probably stupid to be challenging him like this, but the look on his face was worth it. Slack jawed shock had never looked better. Before he could comment, a crossbow brandishing dwarf decided to join the conversation.

“Good to know! Here I thought we’d be ass-deep in demons forever.” The dwarf gave us a charming smile before wiping off some demon gore from the side of his crossbow.

“Varric Tethras: rogue, storyteller, and _occasionally_ unwelcome tagalong,” he added with a wink. Cassandra just scowled at him.

I was so excited that I practically bowed down towards his face, grinning the whole time.

**_What I wouldn’t give for my glasses right now!_ **

Varric appeared unfazed by my invasion of his personal space. He was probably used to women checking him out, or he was just very good at masking his discomfort. Varric had shoulder length dirty blonde hair pulled back in his signature half up, half down style but, unlike the game, a few strands had escaped. It only made him look more roguishly handsome.

**_I guess it makes sense. Hair never stays where you want it to in real life._ **

While I might be gay as all hell, I can still see why so many women found him appealing. The charming smile, strong shoulders, and of course, that muscular chest topped off by his legendary chest hair.

**_If you are into that sort of thing._ **

It felt awkward to be looking at his man cleavage from where I was standing. He only came up to my shoulder, but he was taller than I had originally expected. Then again, it was not like I had ever met an actual dwarf from a fantasy realm before, so what did I know. One thing for sure was that he was one of my favorite characters and getting to meet him in person was not something I was going to pass up.

“Hi! It’s so great to meet you, Varric.”

“Agreed,” Lavellan chimed in with a smile, “It’s a pleasure.”

“You may reconsider that stance, in time,” Solas added.

I side-eyed Solas, “Hmph.”

**_Way to ruin the moment._ **

Varric smirked. “Aww. I’m sure we’ll be great friends in the valley, Chuckles.”

“Absolutely not. Your help is _appreciated_ , Varric, but…” Cassandra crossed her arms and looked away from Varric. You would think a powerful Seeker of Truth like Cassandra would be above having a mini tantrum, but it seems that the dwarf brought out the worst in her. She was too stubborn to ask for help but did not want to acknowledge that she needed it.

“Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker? Your soldiers aren’t in control anymore. You need me.”

“Ugh,” Cassandra stayed on the other side of Lavellan, the farthest she could get while still being in the group, steadfastly refusing Varrics gaze.

“My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions,” he bowed to us, “I’m pleased to see that you both still live.”

“What?” I looked to Solas quickly.

**_Why the both of us?_ **

Varric hopped up onto a bit of rubble and sat down, “He means, ‘I kept that mark from killing you while you slept.’”

“Wait, what do you mean the both of us? Only she had the mark,” I gestured to Lavellan, “I don’t.” Reexamining my hands was pointless. There was no green light to be found; I was sure of it. “Explain.”

“Like her,” Cassandra interrupted whatever Solas was about to say, “Solas is an apostate, and as such, is well-versed in such matters.”

Solas sighed, “Technically, all mages are now apostates, Cassandra. My travels have allowed me to learn much of the Fade, far beyond the experience of any Circle mage. I came to offer whatever help I can give with the Breach. If it is not closed, we are all doomed _regardless_ of origin.”

“Yeah, yeah, but that doesn’t answer my question,” I walked closer to Solas and put my hands on my hips. “What the hell was that thing about keeping the mark from killing the _both_ of us while we slept?”

It was impossible to keep the frown from my face. Having to look up at Solas was just as irritating as having to listen to him.

**_Geeze, did he have to be so damn tall? He has a good 7 or 8 inches on me. Stupid egg-head._ **

Being this close, I could clearly see that his chin was just as obnoxious as it was in the game. Why the hell did he have such a pronounced chin dimple?

**_I thought it was bad before, but up close like this? Damn._ **

And that outfit. Good lord. I preferred the blurred version I saw earlier. No need for the close-up details. And I definitely didn’t want to know what all those stains were. He looked like he rolled out of a dumpster, but still had the gall to look down on people as if they could hardly comprehend how much smarter he was than everyone else.

**_Why the hell do so many people find this jackass so attractive?_ **

Solas raised a brow at me. “Healing magic and minor wards. When near the mark as it flared, it seemed to cause you great pain. Its magic crackled along your body. It was—" he rubbed his brow— “alarming.”

I looked at my hands once more, “But I don’t remember…”

**_This didn’t make any sense. What would draw the mark’s energy to me like that? And in such a violent manner. There was nothing like that in the game. So, why?_ **

“I theorized that distance from the mark might limit the effect it had on you and I was correct. Even so, you still did not wake for a few days,” he gestured to Lavellan, “but I fear her mark is now past the point of my help. If it is not stabilized soon, she _will_ die.”

Lavellan visibly gulped and looked at her left palm. We all stared at the softly crackling mark. It had grown to the point that it now followed the entirety of her life line, which was a fitting spot for it to reside. That thing had enough power to kill its possessor. Lavellan clenched her fist in an attempt to hide the light emanating from between her fingers. Sadly, that would not change her fate.

**_Well, this is awkward._ **

“Nice one, Solas. Way to be a dick.” He gaped at me. I ignored his fumbling attempts to say something and moved to stand in front of Lavellan.

I grasped Lavellan’s right shoulder with my free hand, “It’s going to be alright. We’ll figure something out.” I gave her shoulder a squeeze, “You gunna be okay?”

She looked at my hand before meeting my eyes. “Yes,” the fear caused by his words was obvious, but she still managed a sheepish smile, “Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Solas gave me a calculating look before continuing as if nothing had happened. My palms began to sweat as my anxiety rose. That look alone was warning enough. I was going to end up having a very _long_ and _uncomfortable_ conversation with him later.

**_Don’t pick fights with Solas, idiot! This is going to bite me in the ass, I just know it._ **

“Cassandra, you should know: the magic involved here is unlike any I have ever seen.” He glanced briefly at Lavellan, “Your prisoner is a mage, but I find it difficult to imagine any mage having such power. And this one,” he gestured at me dismissively, “doesn’t seem to have any aptitude for fighting: magically or otherwise.”

I huffed and crossed my arms. He merely raised a challenging brow at me.

**_Jackass. Though, I suppose I earned that one._ **

Cassandra nodded, “Understood. We must get to the forward camp quickly.”

Varric hopped down from his perch, checked his crossbow, and flashed us a grin. “Well, Bianca’s excited!”

“This way, down the bank,” Cassandra instructed as she walked towards a ledge leading down to a frozen pathway. “The road ahead is blocked.”

I examined my “staff” and sighed. This poor broom had seen better days. It might take another hit, but there was no way it was going to make it through the battles ahead.

“Damn it, give me a sec,” I ran over to one of the corpses farther from us. I remembered that it should have a weapon on it.

“We must move quickly,” Solas called out.

The others had already climbed down through the rubble, but Solas hung back with me for some reason.

“I know that!” I rolled the body over and spotted a staff beneath it.

**_Of course._ **

Lavellan was a mage, so it made sense that the weapon would be useful for a mage. It was just how the game worked, so this world should be no different.

The staff itself was cold to the touch, which meant that it was likely an ice staff. There was a scythe at the top, but I doubted that I could use it to its full potential. I was pretty sure I didn’t have any magic abilities. Looking over to the staff clipped to Solas’s back, I noticed that the top of it looked almost like a mace.

**_Perfect for whacking someone in the face!_ **

“Hey, Solas…care to trade?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Look, I’ll give you this staff in exchange for yours.” I held up the one I found, “This one feels like it might have some pretty strong ice magic in it, and you have to admit that it looks a lot less beaten up than the one you have.”

“Then I see no reason for you not to use that one,” he said, looking down his nose at me.

I shrugged, “Yeah, well, it’s useless to _me_. I’m not a mage. Your staff, however,” pointing at the staff on his back, “is _perfect_ for how I fight.”

His mouth twitched in a slight smirk as he turned away. “Then that is most unfortunate…for _you_ ,” he tossed that parting barb my way as he climbed down through the rubble.

“Ugh, you are such a dick,” I growled and ran to catch up with everyone.

**_I GREATLY DISAPPROVE!_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Years! 
> 
> I know that I said that I was only going to post once a week, but I figured that the New Year deserved to start out with a delightful new chapter. ^_~
> 
> I haven't beta'd this, but I hope that you enjoy it regardless. 
> 
> And yes, our leading lady is super salty about a certain bad egg in the group.


	5. Chapter 5

**_This is ridiculous!_ **

I shivered against the cold that came whipping down the mountain path and tried to tuck my hands into my sleeves.

**_That’s it, I’m stealing gloves off the next corpse I find._ **

My new staff gave off a chill that was almost colder than the air around it. What little moisture there was in the air quickly turned to small snowflakes, floating downward before disappearing into the wind. Frost rimmed the scythes edge. It looked _really_ cool, but there was much to be said for having too much of a good thing.

“As if I wasn’t already c-cold enough.” My right hand’s fingers felt locked in place; frozen to the staff. Thankfully, they were not blue or black with frostbite.

**_Thank goodness for small favors._ **

“Oh, you upgraded your broom?” Lavellan chimed in as she examined my new staff, poking at the snowflakes that fell. “Wait, I thought Solas said that you weren’t a mage.”

“I’m not. I originally wanted something with more whacking power, but I had to make do with this since _someone_ didn’t want to trade.”

Lavellan looked back towards where I knew Solas was following. “ _Oh_.”

“Yeah.” I knew I was pouting, but god damn it, I deserved a bit of a tantrum.

**_It would have been easy for Solas to just trade staves with me, but nooooo, he had to be an obstinate little asshole._ **

“There is open ground ahead. Be ready.” Cassandra’s warning put us all on alert.

The stairs leading up to the forward camp were a good distance away, but that wasn’t too odd considering almost everything else was bigger than I remembered.

**_Hmm, this doesn’t feel right._ **

The frozen riverbed was oddly devoid of enemies. There should have been at least 4 of them, but there were none to be found. The ice still had craters from where Fade meteors had landed. Fires raged within the houses along the shore, leaving some to be nothing more than charred skeletons of their former structures. Yet, no signs of battle. There were only the sounds of loose snow blowing cross the ice, distant echoes of crashing Fade meteors, and the crackling of the flames. Bits of ash floated around us, and we had to cover our mouths to keep from breathing in the smoke as we passed close to the homes.

There might have been some valuables left in the dwellings, not to mention the life ward necklace that could be found up on the hill at the other end, but there was no way I could convince everyone to start looting homes.

**_Meh. I’ll just stick to rummaging through pockets during battle, then._ **

As we started up the stairs, Solas decided to break the silence, “You are both Dalish, but clearly away from the rest of your clans. Did they send you here?”

**_Oh, for the love of—_ **

“What do you know of the Dalish,” Lavellan replied.

“I have wandered many roads in my time and crossed paths with your people on more than one occasion.”

Lavellan looked confused. “We are both the same people, Solas.”

“The Dalish I met felt…” He looked at his feet, “differently on the subject.”

**_OH. MY. GOD. You did NOT just pull the brooding puppy act on her!_ **

“I see,” was all Lavellan said.

He turned to me, “and what say you?”

I just side-eyed him again and kept walking.

**_Bite me, Egg-Head._ **

“It is silence then,” Solas said with a nod, “As you wish.”

**_OH, you fucking jackass. Always needing to have the last word._ **

The mark flared.

“Shit,” I took a step away from Lavellan as she hissed and stumbled from the pain.

Solas reached out, but it was Cassandra who caught her, “hold on to me. We haven’t much further.”

The mark sputtered for a moment, but quickly calmed. If memory served me correctly, it shouldn’t flair up again like that for a while longer, if at all. Which would mean it should now be safe to be near Lavellan again and offer my assistance. Not that I was only doing it so that Solas didn’t have an opportunity to try to charm her by being gentlemanly or anything.

**_Nope. I’m just a noble person. I’m not being spiteful or anything._ **

While still wary of the mark, I steeled my nerve and took Lavellan’s other arm. “I got her.”

Cassandra raised a brow at me, “…Alright.”

Lavellan kept her head low, her hair obscuring her face. I leaned down and tried to catch her attention through all that hair, “Hey, you doin’ okay?”

“Yes, it just,” she looked up through a gap in her hair, and winced, “ah, it really stings.”

“Oh, I bet. I remember what it feels like when it flairs up and I’m touching you at that time,” I added, sheepishly. “You can lean on me for a bit until you think you’re steady enough to go on your own.”

“But,” she looked at me in confusion, “are you sure that you want to be touching me right now? Aren’t you scared of me?”

**_Ouch. But, to be fair, it’s not like she WOULDN’T have noticed all the flinching and stuff. I feel like an ass._ **

I shrugged, “It’s fine, and I’m not scared of _you_. Sorry if I made you feel like that. It’s just…it really hurt last time your mark acted up, but that’s not a good excuse.” I looked around as if the sky and the trees could help me talk like a normal person.

**_Damn it, I’m probably making this worse for her._ **

Looking back at Lavellan, it was clear that my offer to help her, along with my earlier flinching, made absolutely no sense to her.

“Uh, look, I just want to help. I know I’m kinda useless, well probably more than kinda, but I figured I could try to help you out since you helped me earlier. Plus, your mark seems calmer, so I should be okay for now.” Giving her a sheepish smile, I tried to end my babbling, “Just, uh, give me a heads up if you feel it tingling. Okay?”

**_Oh god, why must I always panic talk?_ **

“O-okay.” She tentatively grabbed onto my arm with both hands, hugging it to the side of her chest. “Thank you, for clearing that up and for the help,” she said with a small smile, “I appreciate it.”

It was such a small and endearing smile. I couldn’t help but give her one in return even as I felt my cheeks burn with a blush.

**_Oooh, she’s so warm. I feel like it’s been ages since I felt warmth. I’m so happy, I could cry. And my arm is…well. Eheheh. At least I’m not getting shocked this time._ **

**_I approve._ **

Varric suddenly appeared next to us, “So…” causing us to jump apart in fright, “ _are_ you innocent?”

**_MOTHER FUCKIN—_ **

“ _Really_ ,” I deadpanned.

**_UGH! You have the shittiest timing, Varric!_ **

With, _whatever_ that was, broken between us, Lavellan answered, “I don’t remember what happened.”

He chuckled, “that’ll get you every time. Should have spun a story.”

**_Why, Varric, WHY?!_ **

Cassandra looked over her shoulder as she walked ahead of us, “that’s what _you_ would have done.”

“It’s more believable, and less prone to result in premature execution,” he pointed out.

**_Who cares! All the warmth is gone! I must get it back!_ **

“H-hey, do you still need help?” I asked, hoping to feel more of that delightful warmth.

“Oh, no, it’s okay. I think I’m good now but thank you. It helped.”

**T—T**

**_Nothing could be worse than this!_ **

Cassandra stopped suddenly.

“Sweet maker…” she whispered.

There were bodies lying along the path. Many had been violently torn to pieces.

**_Okay…THIS. This would be worse than losing my precious, precious warmth._ **

“Fucking hell”

At this point, I was thankful for not having my glasses. I did not need to see the details. As it was, the path ahead was full of fuzzy blotches of red and dark bits. Small fires burned around us. Smashed wagons and unfortunate soldiers that were likely torched by fire wielding demons.

**_It NEVER looked like this in the game. There are so many bodies lying around here._ **

The cold kept the smell from being overwhelming, but it still reeked of meat and spilled bowels. I had to bury my face in my sweatshirt in hopes of keeping out the worst of the smell.

Yet again, there were no demons to be found. Just the corpses of a dozen or more unfortunate souls littering the ground around us. This wasn’t anything like what I imagined a battle to look like.

It was a slaughter.

“Is that…bits of people hanging from that tree?” Lavellan asked.

Something long and rope-like hung from the branches, swaying in the breeze. There might have been an arm hanging up there as well. A pile of…someone, laid beneath it. Feeling bile rise in my throat, I forced myself to look away.

**_Oh, that’s just NASTY._ **

“I pray Leliana made it through all this.”

Varric stood beside Cassandra, “she’s resourceful, Seeker.”

“We will see for ourselves at the forward camp,” Solas pointed ahead, “we’re almost there.”

It was hard to see through the thickening smoke and ash that bellowed up from the burning wagons. Their charred remained lined our path, along with the scattered bits of fallen soldiers. We covered their mouths, gagging when smoke managed to make it into our lungs. There was no way to prepare ourselves for the view we found once we reached the top of the hill. You’d think we’d already seen the worst, but it was nothing compared to active carnage.

**_This shit’s straight up nightmare fuel._ **

A swarm of Shades and Wraiths had gathered at the gate leading to the forward camp. Even from this distance, you could hear how the screams of soldiers mixed with the gurgling growls of the Shades. Such sounds were not easily forgotten. The clash of swords against claws reminded me of nails on a chalkboard, leaving their mark on both swords and psyches alike. Even though the soldiers were putting up a fight a decent fight, there was no way they could keep it up indefinitely.

**_They’re going to lose._ **

“NAAAAAAAAHHHH!” Fire consumed an unlucky soldier as a Wraith grabbed him from behind. The Wraith looked like a floating skeleton, engulfed in flames. It merely hung there as its victim flailed, passing through its concorporeal form, bumping into other soldiers and set small fires in their wake before falling to the ground. It drifted towards its next victim, aiming to turn them into just one more hazard of the battleground.

For every demon slain, still more kept pouring out of the rift blocking the soldiers only hope of escape.

“Another rift!” Cassandra called out, as if we hadn’t noticed it glowing bright green in the middle of everything.

Solas yelled back to the rest of us, “we must seal it quickly!”

“No shit, Sherlock!” I rolled my eyes at his comment.

**_Like we were just gunna leave it there. Puhleeeease._ **

They keep coming! Help us!” a soldier called to us before being pounced upon by a Shade, “YAARGGHHH!”

I looked away as the soldier’s torso was torn in two. The wet sound of his insides loudly hitting the ground was almost lost in the cacophony of battle. Almost.

**_Oh god. That was just too gross. I’m never going to be able to unhear that._ **

Cassandra let out a battle cry and charged into the fray. Shades were knocked down like bowling pins by the sheer force behind her attack, while others fell to her blade.

**_Damn. She really IS like a force of nature._ **

Lavellan unleashed blasts of ice that froze the fiery Wraiths in their tracks. The soldiers took advantage of their more solid forms; smashing them to bits when they got the chance.

Shades were turned into pincushions by Varric’s crossbow.

And Solas covered us all in the blue glow of a protective barrier.

**_Okay, he covered everyone but me. Jackass._ **

I couldn’t tell you much more than that because even though I tried to stay at the edges of the battle, that didn’t stop Shades from attacking me. Everything was a blur of screams, growls, and frantic running.

Without a barrier of protective magic, I had to make doubly sure to stay out of reach of claws and flames alike. I managed to clobber one with my staff, hooking the scythe-like tip into its neck.

It bellowed. It thrashed. I screamed.

Yet I couldn’t let go. My fingers were trapped within the frigid magic of my staff. I was yanked back and forth by the flailing Shade, as my shoulders screamed in protest.

“Hurry! Use the mark!” Solas yelled to Lavellan just as my staff was flung loose from the Shade, and me along with it.

 “AAAAH!” I cried out in fear as green light filled my vision.

**_This is it. I’m screwed. I’m gunna fall into the Fade!_ **

Then the energy of the mark struck me.

One minute I was falling, and the next, my entire body is held aloft and felt like it was flash frozen while being doused in flames. Green energy crackled along my body as it jumped between Lavellan’s mark, me, and the rift behind me. Then, there was nothing else but pain.

The sound of the rift being charged drowned out everything around me, even my own screams.

**_It’s…too much. I can’t take it! I’m gunna die!_ **

The energy built, and built, like drops of fluid being added to an overly full cup. The energy quivered inside me for the briefest of moments as it fully charged. Then…

I exploded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry! (Not sorry)
> 
> I hadn't planned a cliffhanger...it just kinda...happened. ^_^;; But don't worry, chapter 6 is already in the works and should be ready by the end of the week. Pooooossibly earlier. Maybe. We'll see. :P
> 
> I've also updated some of the tags since battle can get...well, gory. I'm hoping that it wasn't too off putting. I didn't want it to be just gratuitous gore, but I wanted the battlefields to feel more real than in the game. Just a splash of blood after something tears into a person just doesn't feel right, ya know?
> 
> The next chapter should shed a bit more light as to what's going on for our leading lady, so I hope you're excited. We'll be learning a lot in the chapters ahead.
> 
> And now, ::cracks knuckles:: back to writing. ^___^


	6. Chapter 6

Death.

Commonly seen as the end of ones’ journey and the great equalizer that comes for us all.

**_Welp. Looks like this is the end of the road for me._ **

Surrounded by darkness, and drifting aimlessly, I had no sense of what was up or down. Not that it mattered anymore. It wasn’t like I was in a rush to go anywhere. I’d get where I was supposed to be going eventually.

**_Wasn’t there supposed to be a light or something that would bring me to the other side? Perhaps it was a boat? A staircase? Or maybe, since I was all elfy in this world, I’d end up riding a halla into the Beyond?_ **

**_Oh! Actually, that’d be kinda cool. Heheh. I could name my mount Val-halla, since I died in battle and all that._ **

I sighed.

Day dreaming. That’s all I had left to me now that my new reality had been whittled down to an all-encompassing nothingness.

“Great. Not even more than a handful of days into this world and I get myself blown up and now I’m dead. Hmph, and my dumb ass couldn’t even pass on correctly. Way to go me, you fail at life _and_ death.”

“Oh, you are _faaaar_ from dead, my sweetness,” a voice said with a purr.

“What the—who said that?!”

Slow, sultry laughter echoed into the void around me. It sounded like a woman, but with the whispers of something sinister. It was as if two _very_ different beings were speaking at the same time.

“ _Awww_ …to have forgotten about me _soooo_ quickly,” their exaggerated sigh had a strange rippling effect on my surroundings, like the way smoke moves when you wave your hands through it.

**_What the hell was that?_ **

The voice continued, “And here I thought I’d left _quite_ an impression on you last time.”

“What are you talking about?

Silence.

 _“Helloooo?”_ Looking around, it still appeared that I was alone. “Hey! I don’t know who or what the fuck you are, but you better answer me.”

**_There’s that sigh again._ **

“Look, if I'm not dead, then where the hell am I?! Hmm? How about you explain THAT to me! You know what, for all I know, this shit is aaallll in my head and now I’m just talking to myself.”

Silence, once more.

**_Nothing? Yeah, that’s what I thought. I’ve been floating in the dark too long and my imagination is playing tricks on me. I’m probably in Purgatory or something. No need to go to hell when you can create your own in your mind._ **

“That’s what this all is, isn’t it? You’re just some stupid auditory hallucination!”

 _“Really?”_ the voice finally said.

**_Oooooo, was that irritation I heard? Looks like I struck a nerve. My subconscious must be pissed._ **

“And here I thought we were _friends_. After all, we’d forged such a _close_ bond during our last meeting. But now you’ve gone and hurt my feelings.” The voice was suddenly by my ear, “Tsk tsk.”

“AH!” I whipped my head to the side only to find that there was no one there. Just more darkness. Yet, now it seemed like there was _something_ floating around me.

**_Okay, maaaaybe this isn’t my imagination._ **

“Whoever’s in there, show yourself!”

**_Go me! Sounding all brave and shit. I’m not scared of you…whoever you are!_ **

The answering reply was accompanied by more laughter.

“Oh, aren’t you a feisty one. Mmm, we should play more often. You get _soooo_ riled up.” The voice came from my other side now. I looked, but they continued to hide from my sight.

**_God damn it. They’re just fucking with me._ **

“Quit messing around,” whether I’m dead or not, I hate getting jerked around. “This isn’t funny!”

Another sigh rippled through the dark.

“ _Very well_. No more games,” the voice drawled.

The darkness parted like a fog rolling back from the shoreline, revealing a bright patch of ground upon which stood a large tree. Sunlight glittered between the leaves, but its source came from within the canopy, not above the tree itself. I couldn’t see exactly how tall the tree was because its branches continued up into the darkness, giving it no end to its true height.

Fresh green grass trailed from the tree’s base to just underneath my sneakers, forming the first solid thing I’d stood on since arriving here. Then it drew me into the light like some twisted moving sidewalk. I stumbled slightly as it suddenly stopped a few feet from the tree itself.

A figure stepped out from behind the thick trunk, caressing the bark with their nails, “We meet face-to-face once more. See my true form and stand in my domain.”

**_Ooooooh shit. I’m in trouble._ **

I don’t know what I thought I was going to find, but it wasn’t _this_.

A Desire demon.

Long horns, sharp claws, purple flames, and a whole lot lady bits on display. Oh, and a tail. Never forget the tail. It swished back and forth like some pleased kitty cat. Their “clothing” was nothing more than a few silvery colored sashes made of some silken material that had been strategically draped so as to hardly cover _anything_ but still be considered “dressed.”

“Uhhhh…”

**_You know, I never saw them outside of Origins or DA2, and I always wondered why. There was that Choice demon that was referred to as a Desire demon by that Michal, Michael, M something guy from that frozen region out in Orlais. And yeah, even in battle, that thing never looked much like a Desire demon._ **

**_But this? Yep, this was very much a Desire demon._ **

“Tch. You _really_ don’t remember me?” They pouted for a moment before switching to a coy smile.

I swear to god that my eyes almost popped out of my head at what they did next.

They trailed their fingers suggestively along their body, beginning first at the thick golden necklace that adorned its neck. Their hands then slid down across breasts whose nipples were barely covered by small golden discs. From each disc hung three 2-inch gold tassels.

A single, delicate chain connected the discs to the thick necklace it wore, and to each other. It looked like a mix between the most scandalous bikini top you could imagine, thin tassels found on fancy pillows, and nipple clamps, but with a huge helping of sexiness. And as if that wasn’t distracting enough, each stroke of their hands caused the tassels and chains to chime softly. Then they moved across the expanse of their lavender hued midriff, teasingly suggesting that they may dip below the already low sash that barely covered their sex.

My jaw had practically dropped to the floor at their overtly sexual display, and they merely laughed at the reaction.

Or it may have been because I _might_ have also been drooling a bit.

Their voice held a hunger that made me shiver, “Are you _positive_ about that?”

I nodded.

**_Talking to a sexy naked lady demon would DEFINITELY be something I’d remember._ **

**_And you know, the purple flames instead of hair really doesn’t dampen the sex appeal. The claws are a concern, though. Not the ones on their feet, but the ones on their wandering hands. Cuz hell no. Keep those away from my lady bits._ **

“Uh, sorry, but nope.”

The demon sighed, “What a nuisance.” All sultriness was gone, like a switch had been flipped. It walked over to me, grabbing my arm when I flinched away. “Don’t be such a baby. Just hold still a moment.”

They held my face with their other hand, turning it side to side, examining me.

**_Well, this took a turn for the weird. I don’t know how I feel about all this._ **

“So, uh, I’m…not dead, then?”

“That’s a stupid question, don’t you think?” They rolled their eyes at me, “No, you’re not dead. You’re just unconscious.”

I jerked out of their grasp, “Wait, so I’m in the Fade like some mage?”

“In manner of speaking,” they circled around me, trailing a claw up along my arm and across my shoulder. “You’re in my domain because I summoned you here. We had an earlier _arrangement_ , and I was merely curious as to how everything was turning out.”

**_Uh huh, suuuuuure._ **

“Well, _that_ and to see if further business together would be… _beneficial_ to my future aims.”

**_Yeah, like escaping the Fade and creating chaos. Probably sexy, sexy chaos, but chaos none the less._ **

“So, what? Do you intend to possess me now or something?”

At that, they burst out laughing. “You need not fear me on that account. No, what I wish of you is of another manner entirely.”

**_Okay…skepticism rising._ **

“Riiiight. Like I’m going to make deals with strange demons in the Fade.”

They growled, “Such insolence. If it were not for the Nightmare’s meddling, I would not be so tolerant of your behavior.”

“Nightmare?”

They pinched the bridge of their nose, “You haven’t even _noticed_ , have you? A few _missing_ details, perhaps? Such as _how_ you got here, _why_ your form is as it is, and more importantly, _ME?”_

I flinched at the anger that was put into that last bit.

**_Shit. Someone’s pissed._ **

I thought on what they said. There was no way that the Nightmare got me, but to my alarm, there were indeed some gaps in my memory. Try as I might, I couldn’t remember anything between getting home from a party with friends and suddenly waking up inside a video game world.

There was just a whole lot of…nothing.

**_Fuck._ **

“Nightmare seriously swiped my memories?”

“That _is_ what I said.”

“But how can you even tell?”

“For one as _powerful_ as I, it was _obvious_. Their work _lingers_ on your mind, like cobwebs. Your memories were caught as if they were flies…and then snatched away. It must have been _quite_ a fearful ordeal for you if the Nightmare chose to steal them. You see, it _feeds_ on the fear created by those memories.”

“Soooo, they’re gone for good?”

“ _Perhaps_. Perhaps not. I have been keeping what you might call a _low profile_ since our last meeting. The Nightmare works for your would-be master and I would prefer to conclude my business with you _before_ attempting to trifle with that man again.”

“EXCUSE ME?! _Master?_ WHAT.”

**_Can you get a headache in the Fade? Cuz I think I’m getting a headache in the Fade._ **

Their eye twitched, “Look, we don’t have time to go over _EVERYTHING_ at the moment, so I will merely give you an abridged version. You were _captured_ in the Fade, _marked_ into binding with a vallaslin—” I opened my mouth to ask a question, but they waved a claw at me— “ _which_ I interrupted. You’re _welcome_ , by the way. Then, I spirited you off, we made our _deal_ , and you ran off to escape through some _tear_ in the Fade.”

“Wait, what deal?”

“In exchange for protecting you from being bound, and thus _preserving_ your free will, you gave me that which was most precious to you.” They grinned, “ _Your name_.”

“Oh? Really? That’s all you wanted?”

“A small thing, a name, but it holds _great_ power. Now, tell me…what _was_ that name?”

“Yeah, okay, whatever. My name’s…it’s…uuuuhhhh.”

**_FUCK…Why can’t I remember my own fucking name?!_ **

“ _See?_ You gave me your name. It’s _mine_ now, so you’ll just need to go get another one. Maybe someone will be kind enough to give you a new one.”

“But, you can’t just _TAKE_ my name from me!”

“I can, and I _DID_. You knew the price of my help. We had a deal and it CANNOT be undone.”

“What proof do you have of such a deal? I don’t have a receipt, or any memory of such a thing! I call bullshit.”

“Well, we did seal our deal with a kiss. _And_ that is where I placed my mark, with a sort of vallaslin of my own. Proof of my influence, and _perhaps_ claim. Oh, did I mention that you were in spirit form at the time?”

“Uh, _NO_ , no you didn’t.”

They waved their hand dismissively, “Another time, then. _Interestingly_ enough, the nature of what I _am_ , and the level in which we are now _bound_ together, caused _quite_ a change your manifestation. It seems you _desired_ to be an elf. Or, was it perhaps you desired an elf? Hmm. Either way, _that_ is why you didn’t appear as a human when all things were said and done.”

**_Well, that’s a crock of shit._ **

“Whoa, back up a bit. You can’t just lay that on me like that without more of an explanation.”

“Yes, I can. You’ll wake up at any moment now, and we’ve wasted enough time with all your questions. I need _your_ help, and you need _my_ answers. If you agree to meet me again when next you fall asleep and discuss my proposal, _then_ I shall give you what you desire. Do we have a deal?”

**_Like I actually have a choice in the matter...I need those answers, and this demon has them. Damn._ **

“Fine. Deal.” I held out my hand for a handshake.

The predatory grin they gave me almost made me yank my hand back.

“Oh, I think we can seal our deal better than _that_.” Grabbing my outstretched hand, they pulled me against their body, “Just like last time, _right?”_

**_Sealed with a kiss…by a Desire demon. Oh my goodness, what the hell did I just agree to?!_ **

“R-right,” I blushed as they slid their clawed hand to the back of my head, drawing me closer. They licked their lips while angling their mouth with mine and I could see how pointy their teeth were.

**_Please don’t bite my face off. Please don’t bite my face off. PLEASE DON’T BITE MY FACE OFF!_ **

The kiss was not what I expected. They tasted like woodsmoke, but it wasn’t overwhelming or unpleasant. And their lips, they were so soft. Then there was their tongue, lightly brushing my lips before slipping into my mouth. I felt myself become dizzy as it ran along the tip of mine.

**_My god. No wonder mages get possessed by Desire demons. With a kiss like that? You gotta have some strong will to resist them._ **

Then they bit down on my lower lip, gently, causing me to groan. It tingled in a way that shot straight to my nether bits.

**_Fuuuuck. I forgot about those sharp teeth for a moment. That hurt, but kinda in a good way._ **

Pulling back gently, my lip slipped out from between their teeth. I could taste a little blood, but my lip was still intact. Running my tongue along the inside of the front of my mouth, I could feel the indents their teeth had made with their bite.

“Mmmm, such _desire_. Delicious,” it purred.

I just stood there, overwhelmed with conflicting emotions and…longing.

**_Down girl. No matter how long it’s been, there will be no pouncing on the Desire demon._ **

“I could _also_ taste the Anchor’s power within you and so I’ve decided to grant you an additional boon. That, _however_ , will have to be a surprise for you to discover your own, my little _Ny’Ari_.”

“Ny’Ari?”

“You _wanted_ a new name, did you not? And I find it _quite_ fitting. ‘Night Friend’ but in the tongue of the elves. You _like_ that, don’t you?”

“Truuuuue. It does sound kinda cool.”

**_And I’ll need a name to give the others for when they eventually ask for it._ **

“Good. Then our business is done for now.” Sighing, they continue, “It’s such a shame, I was hoping for a much more… _titillating_ reunion, but we must part. Just as we agreed, we shall meet again when next you are asleep. Just think of my name, and I will come to you.”

**_Huh. Well, that’s not so bad._ **

They then grabbed me by my chin and forced me to look them in the eyes, “ _Do. Not. Make. Me. Summon. You._ Or our next meeting with not be as _amendable_.”

“Yes, ma’am!” I couldn’t help myself. The change of demeanor was so abrupt that my response just popped out of my mouth with a squeak.

“Oh, now that is a _delightful_ response, but I prefer you call me by _my_ name.”

“Desire?”

They grinned, “ _Spite_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens and WE NOW HAVE A NAME FOR OUR LEADING LADY!!!
> 
> I know that the last cliffhanger was painful, but I needed to do SOMETHING in order to introduce a new character and set the stage for some upcoming changes. And, well, you never see this type of demon outside of the first two games and that just won't do. :P


	7. Chapter 7

“Remember my words... _Ny’Ari_.”

Spite’s voice echoed as the world around me faded away. Only the lavender glow of their eyes danced in the darkness, before they too disappeared. Their words rang like a warning in my muddled thoughts. Not that the warning was necessary. There were still many questions that had been left unanswered, and Spite had answers.

Supposedly.

It wasn’t long before I felt a strange sensation; a vague sort of pressure. Intermittent, but insistent. I looked around, but nothing was touching me that I could see.

Bap, bap, bap.

**_Wait, I’m still unconscious, aren’t I?_ **

Bap, bap, bap.

**_Oooooh. Maybe someone is trying to wake me up?_ **

Bap, bap, bap.

A subtle pain blossomed on the side of my face. Whoever was trying to wake me was going to get a smack from _me_ if they didn’t stop with the hitting. As it was, I would probably end up with a bruise before long.

**_They’re worse than my old cat. Always with the “bap, bap, bap” on my face to get me out of bed._ **

Indistinct sounds grew in volume, surrounding me, rousing me to wakefulness. Still, my eyelids felt too heavy to lift. Though, that didn’t stop me from blindly batting away whoever was hitting my face. Or at least, that was the plan.

**_Dammit, arm. I told you to move. MOVE!_ **

Not a single twitch. Unfortunately for me, while my mind was mostly awake at this point, my body wasn’t.

**_Ugh, sleep paralysis. Great, just great._ **

Sounds morphed into muffled voices. One voice in particular sounded _very_ determined to rouse me. It was easy to assume that it belonged to whoever was the one smacking at my face.

Bap, bap, bap.

**_Alright, alright! I’m waking up, geeeeeeze._ **

With effort, I could finally make out what was being said around me.

“-ust leave her. We’re clear for the moment, but there is nothing more we can do for her,” a masculine voice said.

“We can’t just leave her!” A woman’s voice answered.

**_Was that…Lavellan?_ **

I felt a hand softly pressing on my chest and then the woman gasped, “She’s still alive!”

“Thank the Maker,” came a rumble against my side.

The feeling finally returned to my limbs as I became fully awake, but it was all pins and needles. I groaned and writhed in pain. My head pounded with the promise of a migraine and I also tasted blood. The abrupt explosion had probably caused me to bite my tongue or the inside of my cheek.

**_I think I preferred my blissfully numb unconsciousness._ **

Strong arms cradled me close to an armored chest, with my head resting against their shoulder. While it wasn’t the most comfortable position, it was better than laying in the cold snow. A heavily accented voice rumbled against me once more, “Try not to move just yet.”

“Hold on, I have something that can help,” the woman, who I presumed was Lavellan, chimed in.

There was still a cold wind blowing across my face, but my body was warm where it rested against whomever was holding me. The pins and needles faded to a dull ache. Cracking one eye open, I looked to see who had become my own personal heater. Their face was so close that there was no need for glasses to see just how beautiful they were.

For a moment, I just stared.

**_Mmm, looks like I died and ended up in some sexy lady heaven where the angels have chiseled cheekbones and beautiful eyes._ **

“You’re pretty,” I mumbled, mentally noting that it was indeed Cassandra that held me gently in her strong arms. I gave Cassandra a goofy smile as I thought that she was pretty hot, both literally and figuratively. She was built like a goddess and practically radiated actual heat. Being in her arms was a delightful place to be, on multiple levels.

Though I could have sworn that she blushed, Cassandra merely grunted and looked away before shifting me in her arms, “You are… _heavier_ …than I expected.”

**_OH. MY. GOD. DID I SAY ALL THAT OUT LOUD?!_ **

I blushed _HARD_ in embarrassment.

**_If that Fade rift could open back up and swallow me, that’d be great._ **

“Can you stand?” Cassandra asked, only briefly meeting my gaze before looking away again.

I whimpered. Even with the embarrassment, the knowledge that I’d no longer have her warm body against me just added insult to injury. I nodded gingerly, “Yeah, I think so.”

She put me down but kept a grip on my arms as I wobbled on my feet. My entire body mourned the loss of her warmth, and I shivered. Taking a step away from her, I almost fell as I all my strength left me. Cassandra’s grip on me tightened, keeping me from falling to the ground.  

My cheeks still burned with embarrassment, and I expected that they would remain so for quite some time.

**_Cassandra’s really attractive. I can’t help it if I’m a thirsty, chubby elf._ **

Lavellan tapped my shoulder, drawing my attention to her.

“Here, drink this. It will help,” Lavellan brought a potion to my lips, tipping it back, and forcing me to drink it. It was minty and made my mouth tingle. Was it elfroot? It had to be. I remembered that its leaves tasted similarly. There was also the swift return of my strength. Lavellan must have given me a healing potion because while my body still ached a little bit, it was worlds better than it had been moments before. Even my headache was gone.

“Better?” Lavellan asked.

I coughed a bit, “Yeah.”

I could feel Cassandra watching me closely. My blush was still going strong, though not as brightly, when I met her eyes. She studied my face for a moment and then nodded, seemingly confident that I wasn’t going to collapse on the spot. Releasing her hold on my arms, she walked off towards the remaining soldiers. Likely to assess the remains of the battlefield or something.

**_Well that was one of the most mortifying moments of my life._ **

Lavellan stayed by my side as we waited but not as closely as she had before. It was strange. She wouldn’t look at me, either. Instead she pulled at a fraying piece of her sleeve, seemingly mulling something over.

**_I wonder what’s up with Lavellan?_ **

“Hey, is something wrong?” I asked her.

She shook her head, “I just—” she sighed before meeting my eyes, “—how’d you _do_ that?”

I raised an eyebrow at her, “Do _what_ exactly?”

“That attack thing you did. You let off that burst of fade energy when the mark hit you. It knocked _everyone_ down, but it was nothing compared to what it did to the demons. It completely _obliterated_ them!”

“I did what now?!”

“When the mark hit you, there was this pull,” she looked at her hand, “and it built and built, like when I closed that other rift.” She looked back at me with awe, “Except, this time you took that energy and just blew away every demon that surrounded us.”

I could only stare at her with my mouth agape.

**_What the fuck?! I obliterated a bunch of demons when I blew up???_ **

She continued, “I had no idea that you could _do_ that.”

“Me neither,” I grumbled and looked away.

**_I’m not really keen on blowing up again. Even if it took out so many enemies._ **

Cassandra’s voice drew our attention as she called to the soldiers at the gate, “The rift is gone, and the demons have been destroyed! Open the gate!”

“Right away, Lady Cassandra!” The soldier scurried over to the locking mechanism and worked to get it open.

Looking around the battlefield, we were surrounded by the bodies of those who we were too late to save. Gore and mud soaked the ground, with splashes of red coloring the snow. Wounded soldiers helped one another make their way over to the safety of the gate. While others stayed with the dying.

“It seems you survived.” Solas clutched at his staff and looked me over in a detached manner, “Well done.” I felt his eyes on me, but I refused to meet them. He undoubtedly had questions, and I didn’t have any answers to give him. So, I ignored him and followed Lavellan as she made her way over to where the soldiers gathered.

The gate creaked open and revealed more troops preparing for further assaults by demons. All along the bridge were people, in and out of armor, clutching at various weaponry. Some were praying at the feet of the fallen, while others stared off at the Breach. Everyone was scared, and twitchy. Even I could see that.

Varric trotted up beside Lavellan and I as we headed through the gate and into the forward camp. Solas trailed behind us, but still within earshot.

“Whatever that thing on your hand is, it’s useful,” he said to Lavellan. Then he turned to me, “And that trick with the explosion? Not my first choice for taking out demons, but if it works, it works.”

“Heh, well, I’m glad that you enjoyed the show. Not sure if there will be a repeat of that since I have no idea how the hell I did that.”

“Well, if you do figure it out, give us a shout so that we can duck and cover next time,” he chuckled and handed me my staff. I had completely forgotten about it. I must have dropped it when I got flung by that Shade. It was nice of him to grab it for me, though.

“Thanks, Varric.”

“Don’t mention it, Snap Dragon.”

**_Did…Varric just give me…a nickname?! SCORE!!!_ **

I ended up walking the rest of the way with a big dopey smile on my face.

**_This TOTALLY makes up for getting blown up like a burrito in a microwave!_ **

My good mood was short lived, however, as I noticed the aftereffects of the carnage caused by the Breach.

Three soldiers sat at a bonfire to our right. Two of them nursed multiple wounds; a few missing fingers, lacerations bound in bandages, and one was missing their left eye. The third was still covered in dried blood and they just stared at the flames. The way their eyes were glazed over was hint enough that whatever they were replaying in their mind, it wasn’t pleasant.

A wagon sat to the side of the bridge. It was filled with canvas-and-rope-wrapped corpses. Two corpses laid at the base of the wagon, waiting for their turn to be wrapped and loaded. A few Chantry sisters passed by us to give last rights to those who still needed to be wrapped. Various crates, chests, and barrels lined the walls on both sides. The path was a bit cramped, so we passed by two at a time, with Lavellan and I at the head of the group. The murmuring of those around us was unnerving and my anxiety bubbled up inside me. I slowed to a stop, gripping onto part of Lavellan’s sleeve.

Lavellan looked over her shoulder at me, “Are you okay?”

I shook my head, “Not really. I’m not used to this much death. It feels…” I shrugged, at a loss for how to describe it. My skin crawled, and I wanted to bolt.

“It’s alright. You don’t need to explain. I feel it too.”

“You do?” I asked her in surprise.

She nodded and looked at the death around us, “It’s okay to be afraid. No one likes to be reminded of how fragile life is.”

Before I could say anything else, Cassandra brushed by me, her eyes locked to on the tent at the other end of the bridge. A few soldiers guarded the gate up ahead and a large tent blocked our view of what else might be down at that end. From here, we could hear Leliana and a portly clergyman arguing at a desk. There were also less corpses in that direction. My legs practically moved on their own; carrying me away from the death currently surrounding us.

I hadn’t let go of Lavellan, so I ended up dragging her behind me. Tugging on her sleeve, I urged her to move faster, “Come on! This shit is creeping me out. Let’s go get this over with, so that we can get out of here.”

Just as we got close enough to hear what they were saying, Leliana reached the end of her patience and slammed her hands down on the desk. “We must prepare the soldiers!”

The clergyman held his head high and adjusted his garbs, “We will do no such thing.”

Leliana, hands never leaving the desk, leaned into his space, “The prisoners must get to the Temple of Sacred Ashes. It is our only chance!”

“You have already caused enough trouble without resorting to this exercise in futility,” he sneered.

“ _I_ have caused trouble?!”

**_Oh boy, here we go. I think I know who she’s arguing with._ **

The outrage in Leliana’s voice was clear as day. The two of them were so engrossed in their argument that they had yet to notice our approach. We were only a short distance from the desk now, but I knew that our luck would be short lived.

“You, Cassandra, the Most Holy – haven’t you all don’t enough already?”

“You’re not in command here!” Leliana pushed away from the desk. She pulled herself to her full height and looked down at the clergyman with disdain.

Well, I could picture the disdain. They were still too far away for me to actually _see_ it. I just knew that it was impressive…from what I could remember.

“Enough!” he bellowed, slamming his hands onto the table, and knocking over a goblet of what might have been some sort of wine, “I will not have it!”

He glared at Leliana, but he jerked to us as we got within his peripheral, “Ah, here they come.”

**_Tsh. I hate this guy._ **

Leliana smiled in relief, “You made it. Chancellor Roderick, this is—”

He dismissed Leliana with a wave of his hand, “I know who they are.”

**_Ah, shit. And here I was hoping that things might go differently._ **

Roderick looked to Cassandra and straightened his robes. He practically oozed self-importance. “As Grand Chancellor of the Chantry, I hereby order you to take these _criminals_ to Val Royeaux to face execution.”

Lavellan stiffened beside me with a gasp. My reaction was not much better. I sort of squeaked and froze on the spot. I knew it was coming. _I knew it_ , and yet I was _still_ not prepared for how real it felt.

**_The likelihood of execution is just too damn high._ **

“’Order me’?” Cassandra growled before looking down at Roderick as if he were something nasty that she found under her boot heel. “You are a glorified clerk. A bureaucrat!”

Roderick’s face turned red in anger as he barked back, “And you are a thug, but a thug who supposedly serves the Chantry!”

“We serve the Most Holy, Chancellor,” Leliana cut in before looking away in sorrow, “as you well know.”

He threw his hands up in exasperation, “Justinia is dead! We must elect her replacement and obey _her_ order on the matter.”

**_If there wasn’t been such a high risk of death, I’d make a quip about needing popcorn for watching all this drama unfold. Ugh, a good joke…totally wasted._ **

They continued to argue while we all watched. I looked to Solas and Varric for help, but they had wisely chosen to stay out of things and kept a few steps back. I doubted either of them would be keen on being executed right now. However, we didn’t have time for this to be dragged out. If the decision was left to Roderick, then Lavellan and I would be shoved into a cell, _again_ , and left to rot while the world burned.

My irritation rose, and I was overwhelmed with the desire to say what was on my mind. The words were right on my tongue and I couldn’t hold them back.

“Oh, for fucks sake! Will you quit your bitching?” The look on his face was so worth it. I had been _dying_ to say that to him for ages. It was a shame that they didn’t give you the option to say something like that in the game.

“Beg your pardon?”

“You heard me,” I sneered. “You’re so busy complaining about anything and everything that you’re just wasting hot air!”

Roderick looked ready to choke on his own tongue, “You can’t speak to me like that!”

“I just did,” I couldn’t help but grin at his reaction. Seeing his anger just filled me with joy. I wanted to needle him more. Make him lose his composure. Make him—

“Please, stop!” Lavellan interjected, “Isn’t closing the Breach the more pressing issue?”

I winced at the reprimand.

**_I can’t believe I forgot about the Breach. I was so wrapped up in pissing off Roderick that I forgot why we were here. Stupid, stupid, stupid._ **

At this point, Roderick was so angry that he looked like he was in danger of blowing a blood vessel. No man should be that shade of reddish purple. Perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to antagonize him…regardless of my desire to keep doing so.

“ _You two_ brought this on us in the first place!”

**_Yep. That had definitely been a bad idea._ **

Roderick’s bellow got the attention of almost everyone on the bridge. I shrunk into myself as I felt the eyes of all those around us instantly focusing on Lavellan and myself.

**_Shit. I think I just made things worse. My bad._ **

“Chancellor, if we could…” Cassandra trailed off when Roderick shook his head, rubbing at his temples. I saw a soft glow come from Solas, but I didn’t see what he did. Solas raised a brow at me smugly when I looked at him.

He did something. I know he did. I just couldn’t figure out what.

Looking back at Roderick, you could almost see his anger visibly dissipating. It was quite impressive because I was certain that I had infuriated him worse than a rattled nest of hornets.

He dropped into his chair with a sigh, “Call a retreat, Seeker. Our position here is hopeless.”

“We can stop this before it’s too late,” she replied.

“How? You won’t survive long enough to reach the temple, even with all your soldiers.” Defeat was even less flattering on Roderick than his Chantry robes were. He pulled a cloth from within his robe and wiped down his sweaty face. The fatigue was easier to see now that he was no longer bellowing at anyone.

“We must get to the temple. It’s the quickest route,” Cassandra pointed towards the valley. She was so sure of herself and what she felt was right. You could practically feel it coming off her in waves. She stood tall in her resolution. If only it were so simple.

**_Damn, as hot as it would be to watch Cassandra work up a sweat by taking down demons, I’d rather not die. Charging with the army is a terrible idea._ **

“But not the safest,” Leliana turned and pointed to the snowy peaks to our right, “Our forces can charge as a distraction while we go through the mountains.”

Cassandra shook her head, “We lost contact with an entire squad on that path. It’s too risky.”

“Listen to me. Abandon this now, before more lives are lost,” Roderick beseeched Cassandra once more.

**_Keep dreaming, buddy. She’s not going to listen to you._ **

The Breach suddenly expanded, shaking the bridge with the force of the magic it expelled. Lavellan hissed as the mark on her hand spread just a bit more. My skin buzzed with energy from both the Breach and her mark.

Taking a large step away from Lavellan, I winced, “Sorry.”

She nodded and looked at her feet.

**_Oh, don’t do that. I can’t handle the sad puppy act._ **

Cassandra turned to Lavellan, causing her to jump at the sudden movement, “How do _you_ think we should proceed?”

“Why me?”

“You have the mark, and thus it is you who we must keep alive. Since we cannot agree on our own…”

**_Okay, that comment makes me feel like I’m expendable. Not cool, Cassandra._ **

Lavellan turned to me, “Do you think you could handle doing that burst of energy thing again?”

“What?!” I looked around at everyone, “Dude, I’m still recovering from the last time. And there is no telling if I’ll survive going through that again!”

**_Please take the mountain path. Please, oh please. I’m not ready to blow up again._ **

“Okay, okay, I get it. It’s fine, I’m not going to make you do it.”

I sighed in relief.

Lavellan stepped forward, and looked at her marked hand, scrunching up her face in thought. Closing her fist, she looked at us all, “Alright then. We’ll use the mountain path. We must work together. You all know what’s at stake.”

I smiled at Lavellan in gratitude, and she returned the gesture with a sheepish half smile before going over to Varric and Solas. There were supplies that we’d have to grab quickly before we made our way up the mountain. As much as I wasn’t looking forward to slogging through _more_ snow, it was still great to see her making the same choice I would have made when I was in her place. Plus, not forcing me to act like a demon blasting bomb.

**_I Greatly Approve._ **

Cassandra nodded, “Leliana. Bring everyone left in the valley. Everyone.” She adjusted her sword and stood tall, exuding confidence once more. “We’ll meet you at the temple.”

**_Confident Cassandra is super sexy._ **

I smirked to myself and followed everyone else. As we turned to head to the mountains, Roderick just _had_ to add one last comment.

“On your head be the consequences, Seeker.”

Cassandra made a disgruntled noise, but her footsteps never faltered.

**_God, I really hate that man._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update! T-T 
> 
> I hit writers block, and my world was kinda exploding this month. I do have up to chapter 25 plotted out (I didn't go further because these characters keep messing with my plans and I had to adjust accordingly) and I should have another update in a week or so. I will not let this fic die. I just have drama to deal with at the moment, so bear with me. 
> 
> Thank you for sticking around and reading. You all are the best! (｡◕‿◕｡)


	8. Chapter 8

It was freezing up on the mountain path.

The snow was deep enough that both my feet and thighs had become encased with it. What little heat my body had given off had melted the snow, soaking my jeans briefly before leaving them stiff with ice. Snow clung to the newly frozen surface. I could barely feel them, causing me to stumble whenever the ground shifted beneath me. Had I been at the head of our group, carving our walking path, I’m pretty sure I would have been completely frozen solid by now. As it was, my teeth were chattering nonstop.

**_I’m gunna end up the Abominable Snow Elf at this rate._ **

While things sucked for me, it was nothing compared to what Varric was dealing with. As a dwarf, he was practically trying to swim through the snow. It was up to his chest, and he stubbornly wouldn’t close the top of his shirt. God forbid we miss out on a chance to see his majestic chest hair. Even if it now had little icicles hanging from the strands.

**_Yeesh. That has to hurt._ **

I stayed close to make sure he didn’t get left behind. Or worse, tumble off the path and fall to his death. Occasionally, I had to tug him out of a deep spot in the snow. If only I had been a Qunari. I’d have had no problem walking through what would have merely been knee high snow. Then I would have just lifted Varric up onto my shoulders.

For mayhem, of course.

Up ahead, there were what looked like faint paths from where the scouts might have traveled earlier, but with all the wind and drifting snow, it could have been made by anything. The drop from the path was enough to make you wonder why anyone in their right mind would risk taking this route.

**_Quickest path, my ass. It’s the quickest path to a long drop and a short stop, is what it REALLY is._ **

As shitty as it all was, at least the view was pretty. From this height you could see snowy forests, and distant rivers. It was all still a bit blurry to me and made me wish I had my glasses. And warm boots. And a proper jacket. Gloves would be nice as well. But no, the forward camp had “nothing to spare” so I had to make do with my jeans, sneakers, t-shirt, and sweatshirt.

I shivered and tucked my hands under my armpits, “At least my helmet is w-warm.”

After trudging up the snowy incline, we were presented with a series of ladders that led to the upper most portion of the mine. And these ladders were quite tall all on their own. A few clouds hung by the top, where the final set of ladders lay. I had to hold back tears as I stared up at our next obstacle.

**_Why me? Haven’t I suffered enough?_ **

Lavellan, Solas, and Cassandra had no problem climbing up ahead while Varric and I took up the rear. On top of being properly dressed for this weather, they were much better suited for such strenuous activities. Unlike me, walking long distances and being physically active all day was nothing new to them. I hadn’t needed to be this active in well over a decade, let along doing so in such brutally cold weather. Varric, on the other hand, was only lagging behind because of two things: his short legs and because he was stuck below me.

There was no telling how long we had been at this. 20 minutes? An hour? Who knows? Still, we pushed on. Rung after rung; Level after level. It was grueling.

Having already climbed 6 obnoxiously large sets of ladders, I was just about ready to drop. My body was begging for a break, so I just clung to the rung for a moment.

**_I’ll be quick. Just a small reprieve from the climb and then I should be fine. That’s all I want._ **

“Have I mentioned that I hate this?!” I cried up to anyone who would listen.

“Yes. Repeatedly,” Cassandra grumbled while still climbing ahead of me.

My legs burned from exertion, or perhaps frostbite. Chunks of frozen snow had fallen off my legs throughout the climb, making it slightly easier for me to make it up the rungs.

“Why are there so many fucking ladders? This makes absolutely no sense! There should only be like, 4 ladders to climb. Tops. Who the hell thought it was a good idea to put this mine up so damn high?!” I whined.

“Beats me, Snap Dragon, but I’d like to get to the top of them before the Breach swallows the world,” Varric chimed in from a few rungs below me. Another chunk of snow fell from my leg and hit Varric in the head, covering his hair with snow. He let off a string of curses.

“Sorry!” I called down to him before continuing to drag myself up what I hoped was the last set of ladders.

“We’ve reached the top.” Cassandra yelled back down to us, “The tunnel should be just ahead. The path to the temple lies just beyond it.”

She made it sound _so_ simple. Not all of us had rippling muscles and stamina for days. Though, I seemed to be the only one having issues. Lucky me. And with that cheerful thought, I continued climbing. With what I hoped was minimal groaning.

**_I don’t remember there being this many ladders in the game._ **

“I’d kill for an elevator right about now.”

“I second that,” Varric said.

By the time I made it up to the very top of our climb, my limbs felt like jelly. Only a slight upgrade from being frozen solid. I collapsed onto the top of the scaffold and just stared at the sky.

“I _never…_ want to do _that_ …again.”

Varric made it up but only needed to brace himself with his hands on his knees for a moment, catching his breath easily. Me? I could still feel the muscles in my limbs twitching, promising me great pain later. I would give almost anything for a hot bath and a nap right about now. Or better yet, a massage. In a very warm room, mind you.

“Are you two alright?” Lavellan called to us.

I gave a brief thumbs-up from the floor before letting my arm flop back down. Closing my eyes, I came to a simple conclusion. I no longer had bones. I was an achy water balloon in human form. Elf form. Whatever.

**_I don’t even care anymore. As long as I can lay here, I’m fine with whatever. Bring on the end._ **

“Yeah, we’re good. Just give us a moment and we’ll be right there.” Varric informed Lavellan. I felt his footsteps slightly shake the wooden scaffold as he approached my prone form. I knew that he was waiting for me to acknowledge him, but I fully intended to stay here for the rest of the day. Surely, he would not make a poor, exhausted lady like myself get up from this surprisingly comfortable floor, right?

My hopes were dashed as I heard Varric’s chuckle, “Come on, Snap Dragon, we gotta go.”

**_Can’t you just let me lay here for like five more minutes?_ **

I ignored him for a few moments before I cracked an eye open, spying his smile and proffered hand.

“You’re evil.”

This just made his smile grow, but I grabbed his hand anyways.

He pulled me up and helped me steady myself on my jelly legs.

“You good?”

“Yeah, yeah, let’s just get this over with.” There was no point in hiding my pout.

“That’s the spirit,” he pulled out Bianca and we went to join the others at the entrance to the tunnel.

I brandished my staff and forced my aching limbs to follow him. There were usually a few enemies at the entrance of this tunnel, so I hung to the back of the group. I would just get in the way of the others if I tried to get to the front. Not to mention the increased likelihood of ending up dead if I was the first one to jump into the fray.

The entrance was empty.

**_I don’t like this. Where the hell are the demons?_ **

There should have been enemies waiting for us, but there was nothing. A few flickering candles lit the edges of the room, and stone stairs beyond. The room echoed with our collective footsteps. There were broken chairs and crates, but no signs of battle. No blood. No claw marks or burns. No discarded weaponry. Perhaps they had just fallen into disrepair over the years? With how stale the air smelled, it was likely that no one had been through here in quite a long time.

Cassandra forged ahead, and we followed her across the room and up the stairs. Once at the top, I noticed that there were balconies positioned on either side of our path, overlooking the darkness of the mine. Solas grabbed a torch from one of the sconces nearby, lighting it with a burst of magic.

The light created glittering patterns across the floor where it was reflected off the walls of ice. It was still cold in here, but the lack of bitter wind made it much more tolerable. I looked over one of the balconies. There was no telling how deep the mine was, nor was there a hint as to what people had actually mined down here.

**_What kind of mine is this?_ **

“Come,” Cassandra commanded as she walked by us.

We passed by areas that I knew had useful items to loot, but she was walking so fast that I needed to jog just to keep up. I looked longing as we passed by the room full of books and the chest full of goodies. Even the crates that usually had gold coins left on them were passed by in a rush by our determined Seeker. Lavellan and Solas seemed to have no problem keeping up with her. Even Varric was keeping pace without a problem. I clutched at a cramp in my side as I tried to keep up. My muscles were already screaming at me for not having enough time to recover from our climb. Or being blown up. Or being drained by a Shade.

“Dammit, I need a nap and a hot meal,” I grumbled while trying to keep up.

**_Fucking hell. I need to start doing yoga again. I’m way too out of shape._ **

I wheezed as I trudge along, and almost tripped over Varric when Cassandra held a hand up to stop our advance. I braced my hands on his shoulder and whispered a quick apology. Solas snuffed out our light to keep us hidden. She must have seen something up ahead. I only saw blurred shapes in the darkness, but I would trust her instincts in battle over my own. She had the experience. Our eyes adjusted to the dim light, and we saw Cassandra motion for us to follow her. We carefully walked towards what should be the final set of stairs.

There was the flickering glow of candlelight at the top of them. It illuminated most of the stairs and faded once it reached the base of the steps. As enticing as it was to walk into the light, there was a feeling of unease around us. Sweat dripped down my forehead as we crept along. Tension grew thick with each step.

Cassandra signaled for us to hold once more.

**_I’m pretty sure that the exit is straight up those steps. So, why have we stopped?_ **

I strained my new elf ears to try and hear what might be up ahead. Even though sounds were slightly muffled by my helmet, I could still pick up ominous gurgling and shuffling. There was also a heavy dripping sound. It didn’t sound like water, which I had plenty of experience listening to. It sounded much more… _viscous_. Something moved and caught my attention. A shadow crept along the ceiling. Something was approaching the single candle still burning in the candelabra at the top of the stairs.

The candle was suddenly snuffed out by a gust of wind, and we were plunged into darkness. The wind howled as it forced its way into the mine. I shivered at the bitter cold cutting through my inadequate clothing. It lacked the stale smell of the mine.

Fresh air.

**_I knew it! The exit IS right ahead!_ **

The darkness was not as thick as I expected, but then again, elves were known to have exceptional night vision. Too bad everything was still blurry as hell.

**_Yes, my blurry night vision will be soooo helpful in a fight. NOT._ **

Squinting into the dark was useless. I gave up with a sigh. Someone would eventually tell me what was up ahead.

**_Man, I really, REALLY need to find my glasses._ **

Lavellan hissed and pulled me behind one of the pillars beside the stairway. Everyone else had already hidden. Odd. Cassandra must have signaled everyone to move while I just stood there like an idiot.

**_Why are we hiding?_ **

Before I could ask Lavellan why she grabbed me, she covered my mouth and pointed back to where I had stood moments before.

A Wraith drifted into view, standing at the top of the steps. The glow from its skeletal body lit the stairs and the landing in front of us. That light would have put me right in their sights.

**_Shit. Good thing Lavellan grabbed my dumb ass._ **

The Wraith’s jaw hung open and it twitched. Its light brightened for a moment and then faded back to its original luminosity.

**_What the hell is it doing?_ **

My eyes widened as new sounds reached my ears; groaning, slow shuffling, and the sound of metal being dragged against stone.

**_I swear to god, if Triangle Head from Silent Hill is up there…I’m going to lose my shit._ **

A second Wraith drifted into view from deeper in the upper room. It joined the first one at the edge of the stairs, and they just…hovered together.

That burst of light must have been a way to signal the other one over. They both resembled what someone’s skeleton might look like if it were made up of a thick fog of red light. And if that person were missing their legs, hips, and lower portion of their spine. Oh, and could float.

**_Well, that’s creepy._ **

From behind them stepped forth a Greater Shade. I might not have been able to see it clearly, but I had fought plenty of them in game to remember what they looked like up close. They were not much different from a normal Shade, except that the straps across its torso also happen to buckle armor to it. The face was covered with a spiked helmet that had no holes for eyes. The jagged blade at the top of its head was just perfect for skewering unsuspecting victims.

**_As if it needed more help with poking people full of holes._ **

Spikes stuck out from the shoulder guards as well. Along its back were plates of armor, and an ornate crest made of bloody feathers that stuck out like a mohawk.

**_Ah, yes, we can’t forget the Grunge Shade. Too hardcore for the Fade._ **

“Can you see the two corpses behind the Shade?” Lavellan whispered to me. Her breath on my face and neck made my skin tingle, and a blush warmed my cheeks. I tried my best to ignore the sensation.

**_Now is not the time for to get flustered._ **

“Not really, but I’ll take your word for it,” I whispered back. I knew that sometimes I had volume control issues, but I was trying _very_ hard to keep those things from noticing us just yet.

Lavellan decided to give me a full description of the corpses that I couldn’t see.

**_Well, I HAD been waiting for someone to tell me what we were in for. I guess I need to be more careful about what I wish for._ **

Having to face those three demons was going to be bad enough, but the two shambling corpses behind them were going to make this battle far more complicated. Shambling corpses could only be taken out by fire, and they could be surprisingly quick. From the description of the armor and weaponry, it was obvious that they were some of the missing scouts. Unfortunately, they had not died cleanly.

From Lavellan’s descriptions, one of the corpses listed to one side on a stubby leg that was missing a foot. Another was missing an arm. Both sported large gashes through their midsections from where the Greater Shade had probably ripped into them. Bones glinted through the gore and blood was still oozing from the wounds.

**_Well, that explains the dripping noise. Awesome. It’s not like I wanted to eat ever again. Thanks, Lavellan, for the visuals._ **

Varric tried to keep his voice down to a whisper, “Guess we found the soldiers.” He rubbed his face and rested his back against the wall, “That’s definitely not the way I’d want to go out.”

“That cannot be all of them,” came Cassandra’s soft reply.

“So, the others could be holed up ahead?”

“Perhaps.”

It was a hopeful comment, but we all knew that it was unlikely.

“Or we’ll find more undead ones past the top of the stairs,” I added with rising anxiety.

Varric turned to me, “Are you always this cheerful?”

I shrugged.

**_It’s true that I’m fairly pessimistic._ **

Cassandra pulled out her sword, “Everyone, get ready.”

We stood at a disadvantage. The demons had the high ground and those Wraiths could easily pick us off while we charged up the stairs. Our only chance was for Solas to cast a barrier while Cassandra took the lead, smashing through the line up ahead. Varric and Lavellan would then have to lay down cover fire, while I…

Gripping my staff tight, I grabbed Cassandra’s arm with my free hand, stopping her charge.

**_I will just have to try not to die._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a little shorter than I intended, but it didn't feel right being combined with the next chapter. I'm hoping to update again on this Sunday (maybe even a double chapter). This is more of a "Sorry for such a long delay between posts, so here is an extra update" sort of post. 
> 
> Plus, I can't help but be a little mean to Ny'Ari. :P


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